


Don't @ Me

by lowqualityyoongz



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Drugs, Gangs, Implied Sexual Jokes, Light Angst, Luwoo, M/M, SMRookies - Freeform, Violence, Weird semi smut??, all the characters are headasses, art student!jungwoo, crackhead shit, dojae if you squint, i'm sorry :((, lame jokes, lowkey a text au, markhyuck if you squint, model!lucas, okay I lied, only the first few chapters are crackhead, sprinkled crackhead moments, this whole fic is a joke
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-07
Updated: 2019-01-16
Packaged: 2019-04-19 18:34:50
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 54
Words: 70,540
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14243322
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lowqualityyoongz/pseuds/lowqualityyoongz
Summary: Jungwoo's account is a flop, and he knows it. Lucas is well loved, through what he sees in the comments left under of one of his posts, and he knows it. Jungwoo has a hard time expressing lust like a normal person, and he knows it. What his headass doesn't know is why, out of all of the thousands of posts about Yukhei, the model himself decided to comment on one of Jungwoo's posts that was captioned, "Look at his crackhead looking ass, damn stfu. Nobody wants that on their timeline. Ugly ass noodle head." With the simple sentence that quaked the inner workings of Jungwoo's dumbass, "DM me?"





	1. @

**_[junguwu] reallucas.wong posted_ **

_Jungwoo couldn't help the smile that stretched across his face at the new post from Lucas Wong, aka, Wong Yukhei._

_Lucas was a model. He was under the Zhang agency based in Seoul. He was usually featured on fashion magazines, his lean body looked almost perfect in anything he wore. He made the most uncomplimentary colors actually look good._

_That was the power Lucas had. With a whopping 1M followers on Instagram, Lucas was well known among the generation that knew how to handle a phone._

_Jungwoo had accidentally stumbled upon one of his posts when he was mindlessly scrolling through his explorer page one day. It was an ad for some lotion, the video featured Lucas being filmed from his collar bones up, shirtless, smiling into the camera with his doe eyes twinkling sweetly. Jungwoo felt like he had been punched right in his stomach. Lucas was breathtaking. His Hazel dyed hair was falling over his eyes and his toothy grin blinded the Korean male behind his phone. His broad shoulders were bare and Jungwoo felt his pants tighten._

_Jungwoo couldn't believe his own gay ass. He was really about to get off to a lotion commerical with a stunning guy as their advertiser._

_Long story short, Jungwoo shamelessly jacked off to those 30 seconds of bliss before he followed the so called Lucas. Jungwoo loved the idea of having every aspect of the stunning man above him, ravishing him completely. Everything and anything Lucas did made Jungwoo's ass sob or get turned on. Jungwoo was a horny fuck and it was obvious._

_But of course, Jungwoo knew his place. Kim Jungwoo knew that he was just one of the 1M followers that hollered every time Lucas posted something on his account. Jungwoo knew he wasn't going to get anything from Lucas. That he mustn't dream so wildly him any further. Jungwoo lusted after him. Fortunately, his lust for the taller didn't stop his headass from calling Lucas Wong a noodle head, and that worked in his favor._


	2. @@

_26 likes? Jungwoo's brows raised. He had never gotten so many likes before. 27 comments? What the hell was going on?_

_Jungwoo chewed on his thumb as he stared at the screen in front of him, scrolling through the comments left under his post. He was sitting on the couch of his shared apartment, the TV was playing in the back, not that Jungwoo cared, his coffee mug was placed on the low legged table in between the two long couches that sat across from each other in the relatively large living room._

_The morning birds sang outside the window that was next to where the TV stood, rambling. Jungwoo had the apartment all to himself that morning. The college student didn't have any courses on Mondays and usually lounged in the living room as he waited for his roommates to get back._

_Jungwoo roomed with two other people in the unexpectedly spacish Seoul condo. Nakamoto Yuta was one of them, the Japanese 21 year old was a_ _psychology_ _major form the university building that was a 3 minute walk away. Yuta was friendly, he smiled a lot and loved to introduce his roomies to traditional Japanese_ _cuisines_ _. Yuta had a boyfriend named Dong Sicheng who stopped by once in a while. The two were so madly in love with each other it almost made Jungwoo want to induce bleach. Every time Sicheng would bring his lanky ass over they'd either end up cuddling in one of the couches while watching a movie or fuck in Yuta's room._

 _And loudly did they fuck. Jungwoo had_ _contemplated_ _on whether it'd be better for him to find a new place to live. But that thought didn't last long, he doubted anyone would be able to tolerate his gay ass. Jungwoo thought of himself as a pretty confident gay. But all three of the roommates had agreed that Ten, Jungwoo's other roomie, was the text definition of homosexuality._

_The thai boy didn't spend most of his time at their apartment, he was always out with his chicago boyfriend, Johnny, doing who knows what. He'd be gone for days on end, but he'd always come back for Yuta's green tea on thursdays. Even though he wasn't home often, Ten was never late on paying the rent, so none of them really cared. Ten was pursuing a career in dance, he was currently on the local dance team. This morning he was out to go to an audition to be part of the famous dance crew, 1 MILLION. He had left with his ass giddy as he spoke to Johnny on the phone before skipping out of their apartment in a rush._

_So there Jungwoo sat, on one of their couches, in shorts that were tight around his frame and a baggy tee reading through comments that only multiplied on his post._

_**\-----: you're just jealous he's more successful than you** _

_**\-----: wow you're really this pressed** _

_**\-----: you stfu** _

_**\-----: attention whore** _

_**\-----: how many blunts did you have to hit to even think this** _

_**\-----:** _ _**kys** _

_**\-----: fuck you** _

_The comments seemed to be endless. And every minute he'd get a new one. Jungwoo couldn't believe this was happening. People were really trying to fight his ass. Any normal person would probably take comments like these to heart, but to Jungwoo, this was hilarious. He couldn't stop himself from laughing._

_So there Jungwoo sat, laughing loudly at his phone, tears collecting in his brown eyes from his cackling as he read off more hurtful comments. He truly couldn't believe this. His flop account wasn't such a flop anymore. Maybe not for the right reasons but he didn't really care, this was too ironic to him. These people really thought he meant it._

_That was the thing, Jungwoo didn't. Kim Jungwoo was horrible at expressing his emotions, especially lust. So his dumbass decided to insult the ones he wanted to get fucked by. His 12th grade crush? Called him a weak noodle armed monkey. His first highschool date? Called his ass dusty and disappointing. It was something he couldn't stop. So this was hilarious to him._

_Jungwoo continued to choke on his own witch like laughter when he passed a comment that pushed him into a gay_ _spiral_ _._ _If this situation wasn't unbelievable enough, Jungwoo was about to die. He read the comment in his head, and for once he felt panic. Gay panic. The_ **_gayest_ ** _panic._

_**reallucas.wong: DM me?** _


	3. @@@

_DM? DM him? What? What?_ **_What?_ **

_Jungwoo was currently loosing his damn mind. This was a dream. This definitely was a dream. He set his phone down careful, as if it'd blow up in his face like reality usually did and got off the couch. Stepping away from the phone on the cushions, Jungwoo paced the living room a few minutes before dashing to his phone to check if the comment had disappeared. To see if it was him being the delusional horny fuck he often was._

_**reallucas.wong: DM me?** _

_Nope. It was still there. Jungwoo blinked twice and saw_ _replies_ _underneath Lucas's comment._

_**\----: that's right drag him!!** _

_**\----: Lucas <3** _

_**\----: I'm sorry you had to see this bby :(** _

_**\----: beat his sorry ass Lucas!!!** _

**Yes, please, beat my ass.** _Jungwoo thought to himself as he read that comment. The mental image already forming into his mind in a vivid picture. Jungwoo started to stare off into space as he imagined the lewd things Lucas would do to him. He'd have to take care of himself later if his train of thought had continued longer, but the images were erased the minute he felt something hit him upside the head harshly. Not hard enough to wound him but hard enough to annoy him._

_Jungwoo turned on the couch to be met with two curious eyes that were familiar. Jungwoo scoffed and turned back to his phone. Ten stood there and laughed under his breath at the cute annoyed frown gracing Jungwoo's features._

_"Why are you back so early?" Jungwoo asked after a few minutes of silence, rubbing the spot where Ten had smacked him, Ten walked away from the college student on the couch to the bar they had that connected to the living room, dining room and kitchen nicely. He strolled past the bar and reached the fridge before opening the metal door and fishing out a water bottle. Now that Jungwoo saw clearer, the Thai boy was sweating through his tee and joggers, his black cap with rings on the tongue was rattling as Ten gulped down the water he had taken out of the fridge._

_Ten had a red flannel tied around his waist and he wore a tank top with tacky drawings on the front that showed his thin but tight arms._

_"I finished early, that's all." Ten swallowed the last gulp of his water and returned it to it's spot in the fridge. Jungwoo, having lost interest in his roommate, turned back to his phone reading through the countless replies once more._

_Ten walked back to where Jungwoo sat and peered over his shoulder to Jungwoo's screen. He frowned and snatched the device from Jungwoo's delicate fingers._

_"Hey!" Jungwoo exclaimed, with his hands empty and Ten reading what was on the screen, stepping back as Jungwoo stepped forward to take the phone away from him, and he did. But Ten had already finished reading most of the comments and his caption. It was obvious, he had a confused look with a twinkle of amusement in his almond eyes._

_"That model you never stop talking about wants you to DM him?" Ten chuckled. Jungwoo rolled his eyes before turning back and shutting off his phone and keeping it to his side with a firm grip._

_"So?" Jungwoo replied, not looking at Ten, now back in his original seat on the couch. Ten was heard stifling a laugh as he walked in front of Jungwoo who was doing a good job at not looking at him in the face._

_"The model that you want to pound you in the ass?" Ten asked, Jungwoo's neck snapped, his wide eyes finally meeting Ten's face that had a mischievous smile._

_"You read my diary?" Jungwoo asked, offended, disgust evident in his voice._

_"It's the fact that you're 20 and_ _**have** _ _a diary that should be disturbing you." Ten laughed, Jungwoo pouted as he trailed his eyes away from the Thai boy. Ten walked to the other side of the couch and sat next to Jungwoo, who switched hands in which he held his phone, afraid that Ten would get his gay ass all up on it again. Ten rolled his eyes and held out his hand. "Let me help you get laid with a model." Ten replied with a smile._

_Jungwoo looked at him oddly. Ten was really good when it came to getting someone in bed. Jungwoo could've sworen that Ten had even gotten Yuta into bed once, before he moved in and before Yuta started dating Sicheng. And Yuta was a hard gay nut to crack. He wouldn't sleep with just anyone. Jungwoo gulped and stared at the innocent smile on Ten's face._

_If he really wanted to get laid. He'd have to trust Ten, cause his gay ass sure as hell couldn't do it himself._


	4. @@@@

_**junguwu: hello?** _

  
_"Just like that?" Jungwoo asked, staring at the screen. Ten clicked his tongue._

_"You have to wait idiot, you can't hit the bush with damn bat and say, '_ _**I've been dreaming of you slowly eating me out as I'm bound to the bed with furry pink cuffs'** _ _" Ten laughed, Jungwoo stared at him in shock._

_"Just how much of my diary did you read?" Jungwoo asked, dumbfounded._

_"Enough to know you're a horny fuck with a wild ass_ _imagination_ _." Ten spoke, getting off the couch and walking to get the remote from the other couch before he turned and met Jungwoo's gaze, "but seriously? Candle wax_ _**and** _ _whipped cream at the same time?"_

_Jungwoo blushed uncharacteristically at Ten's weirded out face before looking away._

_"It was from this one porn I watched a while back...." Jungwoo muttered,_ _fiddling_ _with his thumbs on his lap, his phone beside him on the couch._

_"Right..." Ten hummed understandingly, even though he didn't really believe him. Ten_ _grabbed_ _the remote and turned back to go sit in his spot. He went to the couch, the only thing between them was Jungwoo's phone. Ten started to flip through the channels, trying to find Animal Planet and was too distracted to watch Jungwoo beside him. Jungwoo looked at the device just when it vibrated. Jungwoo gaped at the reply and picked up his phone quickly._

_**reallucas.wong: hey** _

_Jungwoo was freaking out. He felt his heart race. He had really answered. Lucas Wong had answered him._

**_reallucas.wong: you actually dmed me :)_ **

_Oh my fucking god. Oh my fucking god. A smiley face. A whole smiley. Jungwoo's felt his stomach turn and his palms sweat._

**_junguwu: yeah I guess...._ **

  
_Jungwoo sent with shaky fingers. Ten peeked at the movement from beside him. Animal Planet had dragged him in and he hadn't really noticed what Jungwoo's hyperactive ass was thrilling from next to him for until he saw Jungwoo hitting send. Ten yelped and once again snatched the phone from his hands. Jungwoo turned to the Thai boy with a frown as Ten read through the text._

_"Didn't I tell you I'd get you laid." Ten said after Jungwoo's silent stare. The boy nodded slowly and Ten hummed before typing into his phone rapidly._

**_junguwu: okay listen....._ **

 

**_junguwu: before you start typing away_ **

 

**_junguwu: I didn't mean a word of that. I've been following you for months now, ever since I saw your lotion commercial I've found you stunning. Every time you post something it always brings a smile to my face. You do so many things to my heart idk what to do with myself. I've been so madly in love with you that you consume my every waking thought. I didn't mean what I said. I'm sorry...._ **

  
**_Read @ 4:56 pm_**

**_reallucas.wong is typing......_ **

_Jungwoo leaned over Ten shoulder to read what he had sent and Jungwoo's eyes almost fell out of his sockets._

_"Ten! I'm not in love with him! You can't be telling him lies!" Jungwoo exclaimed, taking his phone from Ten, staring down at the already written messages in shock. That was it, Lucas was going to block. Lucas was going to report his ass. Jungwoo was never going to get exclusive_ _fa_ _p_ _content_ _from Lucas ever again. This was the end of him._

_Ten dismissed Jungwoo's defeated expression and took back the others phone just when Lucas had replied._

_**reallucas.wong: oh wow. I wasn't aware that's how you felt. I appreciate your feelings, but of course I can't** _ _**return** _ _**them at the moment, I'm sorry** _ **_:(_ **

**At the moment?** _Ten frowned down at the screen as Jungwoo rested his face in his palms. Feeling exhausted and upset. Lucas would block him, he knew it._

_**reallucas.wong: we can be friends tho :)** _

_Ten choked at the words on the screen. Staring wide eyed. Jungwoo let out a whine with his face still shamefully stuffed in his palms._

_"He blocked me didn't he?" Jungwoo pouted, lifting his head with a frown. He looked at Ten and felt puzzlement at the shocked expression on the Thai boy's face._

_"He wants to be your friend?" Ten trailed, the word seemingly weird when understood in context. Jungwoo straightened his slumped form at the words and grabbed the phone with Ten still holding it and read the messages._

_Jungwoo couldn't believe his eyes. The words were clear. There didn't seem to be any double meaning behind the text. Not that you could really tell any double meaning behind something said through text but Jungwoo liked to believe that Lucas didn't mean any bad intent. He was just happy the model hadn't blocked him._

_Jungwoo took the phone fully from Ten and started to type away with Ten hovering over him, his brows risen in_ _curiosity_ _._

**_junguwu: okay, that's fine :)_ **


	5. @@@@@

_**junguwu: why did you want to talk to me even after I said those things?** _

_**reallucas.wong: in all honesty I didn't really understand, hehe. I'm not that fluent in Korean yet so ヽ(〃･ω･)ﾉ** _

_Jungwoo had busted many nuts in his 20 year life span as a horn dog but this was the first time Jungwoo had ever busted an uwu. This was the first time Jungwoo didn't see Lucas as a sex magnet, this time, now talking to him, Jungwoo found him incredibly cute. And Jungwoo was glad that he didn't know that he had called him a noodle head._

**_junguwu: don't worry about it anymore (ﾉ･ｪ･)ﾉ_ **

_Ten got bored of reading their dry conversation hovering over his shoulder and leaned back on the couch, continuing to watch Animal Planet as Jungwoo was all giddy typing away to, what Ten now referred to Lucas, his boy toy._

**_reallucas.wong: since we're friends now we should get to know each other right?_ **

**_junguwu: yeah..._ **

**_reallucas.wong: I'll go first :))_ **

*********

_Jungwoo was glued to his phone all day on that couch. With his pajamas still on, his eyes hadn't left that screen. Conversing with Lucas as he got up occasionally to munch on a snack from the kitchen._

_In a span of an hour and a half Jungwoo found out that Lucas was half Chinese, half Thai. His first language was Cantonese. And many more things that surprised Jungwoo by making his heart waver. Jungwoo had never had a crush on anybody before. And if he had, it was brief. Jungwoo had never been in a long term relationship. The college student was a one night stand kinda person. In truth, because of the fact he struggled in the department of expressing himself through words properly, Jungwoo avoided relationships that needed effort. Because whenever he tried, he'd always get misunderstood. So he just gave up._

_It was only recently that Jungwoo had put a halt to his hoeing around. He had college work to do and that took up most of his time. He didn't have the chance to get laid at a club as often. And less often now that he was talking to Lucas. He was actually starting to like the guy. Even though he knew it was dangerous for his heart, he could get hurt again, especially since Lucas was a model with such a high reputation. But Jungwoo was too high off the feeling of actually being seen and cared for to an extent that he didn't really care._

_Jungwoo laid on his stomach in his usual spot on the couch after finishing up an apple while he texted Lucas when Yuta's keys could be heard rattling from the door way. Yuta appeared in the living room with a sigh and a back pack on his shoulder. Yuta glanced at the TV that displayed glazes running from a pack of female lions as he set his keys on the bar. Ten was sitting on the other couch now, entranced in watching Animal Planet._

_Yuta then looked at Jungwoo who had a silly smile on his face and titled his head in puzzlement. Yuta walked to the dinning room and set his backpack down and started to rummage through his books._

_"What's got you such a good mood, Jungwoo?" Yuta asked, still searching through his bag. Jungwoo opened his mouth to reply, finally looking up from his phone for the first time in what seemed like forever, but Ten beat his to it._

_"The pretty boy model he's obsessed with DMed him after he called him an ugly ass noodle head." Ten answered nonchalantly, his eyes not leaving the glazes getting cornered by the Lions on the screen. Yuta stopped his movements and looked up, this time with a lost expression. He breathed in._

_"How does that work out?" He asked, Jungwoo was going to answer but Ten and big ass mouth spoke before his once more._

_"Fuck if I know." Ten laughed a little, the glazes now getting shredded into pieces by the lions._ _Jungwoo huffed at Ten's not so accidental interruptions of him again but brushed it off and continued to smile dumbly at his screen._

_Yuta frowned but ignored it and continued to look for that document he was supposed to give Jungwoo. In the end he couldn't find it. He scratched the back of his head and turned to Jungwoo who was biting back a big smile as he typed on his phone some more._

_"Jungwoo, please make sure to have a place to stay before the end of this month, Sicheng already made space for me in his condo and I'll be moving out by then and so will Ten, so please be responsible." Yuta told Jungwoo, his voice pleading the other. Jungwoo looked up at Yuta._

_"Don't worry about it, I already have a place to stay." Jungwoo reassured before going back to his phone._

_Yuta hummed and strolled over to the other couch, taking a seat next to Ten as they watched a herd of flamingos dip themselves in water with the tan scenery contrasting the color of he water and their feathers._


	6. @@@@@@

**_reallucas.wong: hey I might not be able to respond for a while :((( I'm in Dubai rn out for another shoot_ **

**_junguwu: OOoooOO, it's fine, what's the shoot for?_ **

**_reallucas.wong: you'll see ;)_ **

_Jungwoo's outer and inner gay was quaking the 24th time that day. It had been about 5 days since Jungwoo dmed the model. And those 5 days were filled with on and off texting. Lucas would text him, asking how his day was and Jungwoo would tell him. Jungwoo would text him with a "hi" and a smiley face and Lucas would ramble on about whatever._

_Jungwoo felt his chest swell. He was really happy. But now he was thrown into another gay panic, a winky face? A whole ass winky face? Did that mean something? Why did it make Jungwoo's heart race_ _?_

_The college student laid on his bed, the white sheets falling off the side as he held his phone, thinking of how to reply. Boxes were collecting in the corners of the small room, his stuff inside of them, his walls were bare, now that he had taken down his paintings._

_Jungwoo was an art major at the same university that Yuta attended. The Korean male kept most of his works, the ones he was proud of. This was his 2nd year as an art major. Jungwoo dreamed to get his art in_ _museums_ _. He liked to imagined walking into one of those beautifully decorated museums, full of many artists and see his own work there, hanging innocently on a marble wall. But of course it was just a dream, well for now anyway._

_Jungwoo sat there contemplating on what to say still as he looked at the time and almost slipped. He was going to be late. Jungwoo darted off his bed, opening his closet door to see more boxes of his clothes but some shirts still hung and some pants were still in their drawers. He reached for one o the drawers and took out a pair of jeans. He hopped into them quickly since he was in his boxers with a yellow tee. He decided that the gradient blue of the jeans matched well with the yellow of his tee and didn't bother to change it._

_Jungwoo walked over to the small mirror that hung on the back of his door and played around with his messy hair, trying to find a comfortable position for his strands. After giving up on it, he sighed and snatched the keys off the the top of his nightstand, grabbing his jacket along with his backpack. His phone now safely in his back pocket. He slung his backpack over his shoulder and headed out of his room. All three of their rooms were across from each other, on Jungwoo's right was Yuta's and to the left with Ten's and in front of his door was leading down a hallway connecting the rest of the apartment. From where he stood in the hallway he had a clear view of the living room. The TV was still on Animal Planet._

_Jungwoo walked hurriedly to the point he was no longer in the hallway and to his left was the kitchen. A delicious aroma flew from the kitchen, making Jungwoo's head turn, there was Yuta in an apron mixing something in a boiling pot, Yuta looked up and smiled at Jungwoo._

_"I'm making my grandma's miso soup for lunch." Yuta replied to Jungwoo's ajar mouth at the magnificent smell, "come by after your first class and I'll save you some." Yuta said, turning back to his soup and continued to stir it. Jungwoo nodded wordlessly, snapping himself out of it and turning to the foyer to leave. He couldn't wait to get back drown in that miso soup._

_*********_   
**_reallucas.wong: can you teach me slang?_ **

**_junguwu: what_ **

**_reallucas.wong: did I spell slang wrong? Sorry＼(º □ º l|l)/_ **

**_junguwu: no! You didn't, I was just confused_ **

**_junguwu: you really want me to teach you?_ **

**_reallucas.wong: like the culture of the internet here_ **

**_junguwu: oof you sure_ **

**_reallucas.wong: what does oof mean_ **

**_junguwu: oh wow_ **

**_junguwu: I'mma have to write a whole damn guide, that's fine. Lesson one_ **

**_junguwu: slang definitions_ **

**_reallucas.wong: I'm ready!!_ **

**_junguwu: uwu- is like a smiley face kinda, you use it when you find something or someone cute. Oof- its a reaction like, "sucks to be you" or "that's too bad". Deadass- just a synonym for seriously. Headass- it's kinda like calling someone dumb. That's all I can think of off the top of my head......_ **

**_reallucas.wong: OhHHhHhhh_ **

**_junguwu: yeah :)_ **

**_reallucas.wong: uwu_ **

**_junguwu: what?_ **

**_reallucas.wong: i find you_ ** **_cute_ **

_**Read @ 12:54 pm** _


	7. @@@@@@@

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ao3 doesn't take emojis well and half of the shit they say have emojis, so my lazy ass gave up

_**reallucas.wong: I'm sorry, did I make you uncomfortable?** _

_**junguwu: what! No, seriously you didn't....** _

_**junguwu: I'm in class rn so I can't really reply fast, ya know** _

_**junguwu: and for a person who's in Dubai and told me they might not be able to text back fast, you sure are typing real quick** _

_**reallucas.wong: "might" is the keyword** _

_**junguwu: fuck you** _

_**reallucas.wong: you probably would** _

_**junguwu: OOF I CHOKED, SINCE WHEN DID LUCAS** _ _**WONG** _ _**, THE INNOCENT LIL BOY, HAVE SUCH AN ATTITUDE** _

_**reallucas.wong: since a few minutes ago** _

_**junguwu: wow, I give you one lesson on internet culture and you suddenly start pulling these stunts, alright I see** _

_**reallucas.wong: that's how it be sometimes** _

**_junguwu: I'm quaking_ **

**_reallucas.wong: off topic but I'm going to be back in Seoul next week. Do you live near Seoul? Maybe we could meet up?_ **

_"Who are you texting?" A voice could be heard. Jungwoo jumped and cradled his phone to his chest with the screen hidden, he looked beside him to Kim Doyoung, in an apron littered with paint stains and a paintbrush in his right hand. Jungwoo huffed at the slight startle and looked around the class. Everyone was in their usual stools in front of their canvases, working on the project that was due by next Saturday. Jungwoo having his own canvas in front of him, was different though. While everyone else had a rough sketch, paint or even watercolor, Jungwoo's was blank. There was not a single thing on his large canvas._

_Doyoung sighed and leaned back into his stool, his eyes on his work. He had been painting up the vibrant lilies that were drawn from before._

_"You shouldn't be texting someone, Mr. Wu is only giving us today in class to work on this. And next week will be hectic like every week you have your main courses." Doyoung told Jungwoo as he started to gracefully stroke the canvas with a green, the sleeves of his white button up rolled above his elbows. Jungwoo didn't know how Doyoung managed to wear a turtleneck under button ups sometimes. But in Doyoung's defence the blue turtleneck he wore matched well underneath said button up._

_Doyoung was right. Jungwoo usually finished things last minute with his headass pulling out his hair in stress. He had been putting this project off since last week when they were first assigned it. Jungwoo still couldn't find his muse, there was no inspiration. Jungwoo groaned. Turning off his phone and shoving it in his pocket, he stared at the white canvas in front of him. He placed his chin in his palm, leaning forward as if that would help the flow of his ideas of what to even start with. Jungwoo sat there a full 10 minutes staring at the white. Thinking of nothing. Nothing came to him, he was starting to get frustrated. It had never taken him so long to be inspired before._

_Just then, he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. Jungwoo gave into temptation, telling himself he deserved a mental break from all that hard thinking that lasted 10 minutes and involved no thinking at all but Jungwoo didn't really care. The boy fished it out of his pocket. Lucas had just posted._

     

_Jungwoo immediately liked the post and saved it. His heart was beating hard. Lucas was gorgeous. The Korean male's face was blotch red as his fingers twitched with adrenaline. The drums in his chest were going at a speed that almost made him fear of a heart attack. His mind couldn't process this. This feeling was new. He really liked Lucas. Not only did the need to be fucked was what he felt but the urge to cover the model with a million kisses filled him just as much, the want to hold his hand, the need to have him near._

_How could this have happened in 5 days? 5 days was all Lucas needed to get Jungwoo this whipped? Jungwoo couldn't believe his own gay ass._

**_reallucas.wong: hello? It's okay if you say no, I was just wondering :) we could probably meet up another time_ **

**_junguwu: no, it's fine let's meet up next week_ **


	8. @@@@@@@@

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> heyyYyy I'm updating every saturday and sunday, so two chapters every weekend so anticipate it!! :))))

_Jungwoo beamed down at his reply, his heart not calming down for a minute. He breathed in pure bliss. He felt like he was walking on clouds. Everything was finally working out for him. He couldn't believe it. Was this a dream? If it was then this was one hell of a long dream, not that Jungwoo minded._

_Jungwoo went back to the post he had been viewing before he had answered Lucas. He stared at the black and white picture. Lucas' hair looked soft in the photo, Jungwoo imagined his slender running through his locks and felt his heart stutter. Lucas outshined the disoriented background. He was the only thing Jungwoo could focus on._

_Jungwoo raised his gaze just then at his blank canvas. He stared at the canvas. He frowned, actually thinking this time. Jungwoo looked back down at his phone, and gasped lowly, not loud enough to draw too much attention but enough to get a quick glance from Doyoung who was now painting in the grass on his canvas._

_Now,_ _Jungwoo actually put his phone away. He stuffed it in his backpack that he brought to his lap after picking it up from the floor beside his stool and then searched the depths of said backpack for a_ _pencil_ _to sketch with. He finally found one of his pencils, a triumphant grin spread on his lips. He leaned his backpack next to his stool where it originally was and firmly gripped the long sharpened pencil. He moved it around in his hand, trying to find a comfortable position before he started to_ __lightly_ _ _draw an outline of the canvas' blank skin._

_********_

**_junguwu: so when exactly can we schedule this meet up?_ **

**_reallucas.wong: well I'll be landing in Seoul on Wednesday and have the next 5 days off from any activities_ **

_**junguwu: oof I can't**_   ** _on Wednesday-Friday but I can on Saturday after 3 pm?_**

**_reallucas.wong: alright! There's this cafe near_ ** **_that university, I forget the name_ **

**_junguwu: you mean Hansung University?_ **

**_reallucas.wong: so that's what it's called_ **

**_junguwu: so we'll meet at Miss Lee Cafe at around 4 pm on Saturday next week?_ **

**_reallucas.wong: yep, that works for me :))_ **

**_junguwu:_ ** _**nice** _

********

_Jungwoo finally made it home, his art class was the only class he had on Saturdays, which makes sense why Lucas and him decided on that date to meet. Jungwoo couldn't take that off his mind the rest of art class as he doodled on his canvas, filling it with pencil marks that, all combined together, looked like a certain someone. Jungwoo now stood in front of the apartment door and unlocked it, with him holding his canvas to his side as he entered._

_He slid off his converses at the entrance and walked out of the foyer, turning to the living room. The TV was turned off and the smell of Yuta's miso soup was still thick in the air._ **Fuck.** _Jungwoo thought, he had completely forgotten to come back during lunch and instead went with Doyoung to the deli in the University building._

_Jungwoo set his canvas down on one of the couches and slid off his backpack, throwing it on the floor instead as he darted to the kitchen. He opened the door of the fridge and scanned the containers and bottles of water before his eyes landed on a specific glass container with a pink sticky note on top of it._

**_Jungwoo_**   _the sticky note read. He grinned and took the glass container out of the fridge, setting on the kitchen counter behind him once he turned around. The fridge door swinging itself to a close from Jungwoo's half assed push. On the counter, he opened the lid and the fresh smell of the miso soup drifted out and Jungwoo felt his stomach rumble. The art student turned around to the stove where above it was the built in microwave and with his free hand he opened the plastic door. Just as Jungwoo was placed the container of the liquid into said microwave and was about to put in a time, he heard a door open from down the hall._

_Sicheng walked out from the behind the corner of the hallway and jumped a little, startled to see Jungwoo on his tippy toes pressing a time into the microwave for his soup. Jungwoo looked at him and smile stiffly. It was always awkward between them. Mostly because Sicheng wasn't exactly confident in his Korean and when Jungwoo first met him, the Korean male was in some way intimidated by his height. Overall those two just didn't know how to act around each other._

_Sicheng smiled back awkwardly with a nod before turning and walking to the TV. Once he reached it he crouched down in front of it, opening the cabinet of the TV stand where they kept their CDs and DVDs._

_Jungwoo turned back to the microwave and hit the start button. The microwave made a sound and started to rotate the miso soup. Jungwoo stepped back and walked over to the bar, seating himself in one the tall stools, glancing at Sicheng who was taking stack of CDs and DVDs from the stand of the TV._

_"Are you helping Yuta pack?" Jungwoo broke the silence. Sicheng nodded but didn't divert his attention away from sorting Yuta's CDs and DVDs to his right. Jungwoo hummed. Knowing that their conversation was over. He took his phone out of his pocket and folded one of his arms on the top of the bar before resting his chin on it as he handled his phone with his other hand. He scrolled through Instagram like he always did when he got a notification from Lucas._

_**reallucas.wong: these bananas taste damn good** _

_**junguwu: why is it that for a model, you always have time to text me when you please** _

_**reallucas.wong: wow okay** _

_**reallucas.wong: wait** _

_**junguwu: what** _

_**reallucas.wong: we're meeting each other next week** _

_**junguwu: yeah** _

_**reallucas.wong: and all I know about you is your name and that you're cute** _

_**junguwu: omfg** _

_**junguwu: you're such a headass** _

_**reallucas.wong:** _ _**are you blushing** _

_**junguwu:** _ _**stfu** _

_**reallucas.wong:** _ _**make me** _

_**junguwu: didn't you say you couldn't return my feelings?** _

_**junguwu: why tf are you flirting with me** _

_**reallucas.wong: I said I couldn't return your feelings at that moment....** _

_**reallucas.wong: I'm starting to rethink** _

_**junguwu: wow okay** _

_**reallucas.wong: do you not like me that way anymore** _ **_?_ **

_Jungwoo grinned foolishly down at his phone as he continued to type the next responses._

_**junguwu: are you kidding?** _

_**junguwu: wow you really are a headass** _


	9. @@@@@@@@@

_Jungwoo came home on Wednesday_ _to find one of the couches were gone. Jungwoo blinked twice. He walked closer to the only couch left, the one he usually sat on, and threw his backpack on it. He was finished with his classes for the day, it was around 4 PM when he arrived. And he had come home to one less couch, Jungwoo guessed that either Yuta or Ten had taken it but he  didn't really care too much to ask either of them. They were the ones that owned most of the furniture in the apartment anyway. Jungwoo huffed before he turned around and strolled down the hallway to their rooms. His eye dragging on the walls where there used to be framed pictures of places Yuta had traveled to, they were gone now of course, Jungwoo noted how ugly the bare walls seemed._

_He finally reached the end of hallway, to where their room doors were huddled together and noticed Ten's door was open. Ten himself was on the floor folding shirts and pants that laid on his bed and was stuffing them in a box. Ten glanced up, spotting Jungwoo_ _silently_ _looking at him through his doorway, his mouth open to say something._

_"I'm gonna be gone by tomorrow." Ten answered without having to know what Jungwoo was going to ask. Jungwoo slowly closed his mouth and sighed. It was actually happening, the roommates he's shared an apartment with for almost 2 years were actually leaving. Jungwoo shuffled his feet and entered Ten's room, walking around the boxes in his way before sitting on the opposite side of Ten's bed that didn't have clothes spread out on it. He reached for a shirt and began to fold it, Ten peered at him as they sat in comfortable silence. "You have a place to stay right?" Ten asked, with a serious tone, stuffing a denim jacket in the box in front of him._

_"Yeah." Jungwoo responded, setting aside a shirt he just finished folding it and picked up a pair of jeans to fold next._

_"Where is it?" Ten questioned, his eyes not leaving his work at packing. Jungwoo stopped folding the pants for the minute before he sighed._

_"Somewhere." Jungwoo chuckled weakly, willing his tears away and smiled down at the now folded pants. Ten huffed loudly and halted his movements, dropping the tee he had in his hands on his lap before he whipped around to meet Jungwoo's defeated figure that the_ _korean_ _male straightened once he was under Ten's sharp gaze._

_Jungwoo had managed to get a small one room apartment in a shady part of Seoul. The complex was a tall building that was_ _practically_ _falling apart with a number of love hotels and clubs near. Not to mention the crime rate was really high, with many crackheads owning guns and robbing small  businesses for their own personal need._

_In the past, Jungwoo would've seen the clubs and hotels as his paradise but ever since he had entered college and started taking it seriously, everything had changed. He didn't like thinking about it too much. It hurt to. It hurt him when he thought of his senior year of highschool and his mom's unfortunate passing. He was raised by a single mom and had no siblings. His mother would work 3 jobs just to be able to afford a nearly rotten motel sized apartment on the outskirts of Seoul._

_Jungwoo had always promised her he'd go to college. To make her proud. But she never got to see that day._ _She passed away from a heart attack when Jungwoo was 18. So with the money she had saved for him, which was more than he expected, Jungwoo dragged himself to Seoul then applied for Hansung University and fortunately got accepted. The first year of his college was spent mostly drunk, and partying. All that would be on his mind was his mother. He had been living around until he decided to actually attend one of his classes and spotted a flyer to share an apartment real near the university for 1/3 of the rent. With the money his mother had hidden away for his college, Jungwoo was able to pay off 4 years of intuition in one sitting and 2 years of the rent at their apartment._

_And now here he was, sitting on Ten's bed, helping him pack. Jungwoo felt the urge to cry for the first time through this whole process of moving. He was going to be alone again._ _He was afraid he'd find himself drowning in alcohol again. Or he'd find himself waking up in different sheets every morning like before. Living with Ten and Yuta helped him so much, they put his life back together._

_"Jungwoo it's okay, I don't wanna leave either." Ten spoke softly, Jungwoo bit his bottom lip and turned his head, giving Ten a view of his side profile. Ten chuckled sourly, "I'm going to miss you."_

_Jungwoo breathed in, the inhale turning into a sniffle as he felt his tears drip effortlessly. Jungwoo covered his face with his palms, his back now towards Ten who could be heard standing up from the floor. Ten walked up and over the boxes scattered in the room to the other side of the bed and sat next to Jungwoo. He began to pet the other's head as his shoulders shook while he cried silently._


	10. @@@@@@@@@@

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for updating so late, this weekend I was actually busy for once! I'll post the next chapter in a few so expect that!!!

     

**Thursday, 5:25 PM**

  
_**reallucas.wong: hey** _

_**junguwu: omg are you okay** _

_**reallucas.wong: what** _

_**junguwu: didn't you get hurt?** _

_**junguwu: it's fine if you don't wanna meet up anymore because of your injury** _

_**junguwu: your health is more important** _

_**reallucas.wong: I'm so lost rn** _

_**junguwu: when you arrived** _

_**junguwu: some dumbass fans wouldn't give you personal space and you got injured?** _ _**The article didn't really say what kind of injury...** _

_**reallucas.wong: ohhhHh that** _

_**reallucas.wong: that made you think it was bad? I just fell and got a nasty ass rug burn on my knee** _

_**junguwu: are you fucking kidding me** _

_**reallucas.wong: no?** _

_**reallucas.wong: wait were you really worried** _

_**junguwu: omfg** _

_**reallucas.wong: wow you really were!!!** _

_**junguwu: ( ￣＾￣)** _

_**reallucas.wong: uwu you're so cute what do I do with myself** _

_**junguwu: I swear if you don't stfu** _

_**reallucas.wong: what? Are you red rn?** _ _**Omgg** _ _**I'm so excited to meet you in person, I've only seen the pics on your profile, I wanna witness your blush irl** _

_**junguwu: your ass is so close to getting blocked** _

  
_It was Thursday afternoon and Jungwoo was texting Lucas like he usually did. With the tips of his ears red he scanned Lucas' message and replied while a dumb smile appeared on his features. Jungwoo was on the only couch left in the living room, now scrolling through his Instagram as he waited for Lucas' reply. It was around 5 PM and Jungwoo had just finished two of his main courses and was now at the apartment as Yuta cleaned out his room, with_ _Sicheng's_ _help again_ _. Ten's room had been empty so neither of them had to worry about it._

 _The Thai boy had told Jungwoo he would stay in Seoul, he would be living at Johnny's condo. Both of Jungwoo's roommates were moving into their lover's homes, but their main reason for moving was the lease they had on that apartment, which would expire in about 3 more weeks, had to be renewed. Just to renew the lease for another 2 years cost a lot more than a whole year's_ _rent. And to have to renew it **every**  2 years? It was a real pain in the ass. So all of the three roomies had agreed on moving, still keeping in touch with each other of course. Jungwoo tried not to let the thought of the lonesomeness he might have to go through again consume him, he wanted to be happy for Ten and Yuta. Ten had even told Jungwoo he'd hit him up whenever he had free time to hang out. Jungwoo was always on his phone anyway so it wasn't like he'd miss the opportunity to hang out._

_Speaking of which, Jungwoo was still scrolling mindlessly through his social media, getting no reply from Lucas but instead, he received a message from Doyoung._

**_Doyoung_** **_: hey don't forget to finish up your project today, you told me to remind you_ **

_And Jungwoo was glad that he did. Jungwoo knew he'd forget. Jungwoo inhaled, determination replacing the previous butterflies in his stomach. he proceeded to jump off the couch, throwing his phone on the cushions behind him. Standing at the side of the couch, he spent a few seconds stretching out his limbs with a groan, Yuta and_ _Sicheng's_ _voices_ _could be heard conversing in a muffled tone through the walls but Jungwoo didn't really care too much to listen. As the stretching of his limbs came to a stop he tried to remind himself of where he had put hat damn canvas. Jungwoo had absolutely no sense of cleanliness. So it wasn't surprising that he was in this position, his mind searching through what he remembered doing the last few days._

 _He frowned, half jogging down the hall to his bed room. Once in his room, he wandering behind boxes and peeked underneath his bed, no canvas. Jungwoo sighed as he exited his doorway and decided to check the dining room. Jungwoo reached the dining and looked behind and under the chairs and table but found nothing._ _He felt his heart weigh and anxiety brim his throat. Was it thrown away?  Where had he even put it? Even if he hadn't even been too close to being done, the idea was still there. Jungwoo knew if he had to redraw the sketch it wouldn't be the same._

 _He swallowed hard, slightly pacing in the dining room, the frown he wore deepened. He kept trying to remember what he had done, where he had put it. Luckily, with very few mindless minutes passing by and in the mist of nervousness and frantic step taking, he remembered. Jungwoo's eyes widened as they moved to the empty spot where the other couch that had disappeared a few days ago was. He felt his stomach sink in only seconds as he_ _immediately_ _found himself dash from the dining room down the hallway and into Yuta's room. Both Yuta and Sicheng, who sat on the floor with objects on their laps, that they planned to stuff in boxes, flinched at the sudden sound of Jungwoo abruptly opening the door._

_"Where is my canvas?" Jungwoo asked quickly, not without a breath to spare. Yuta frowned in confusion and shared a glance with Sicheng who looked back at him, concerned. Silence danced around them before Sicheng began to part is his lips, Jungwoo's desperate eyes landing him once he saw words beginning to form._

_"The one that was on the couch....?" Sicheng muttered, Jungwoo's eyes widened and he rapidly nodded his head. Sicheng hummed lowly in return, standing up from his place on the floor and proceeded to walk around boxes to where Jungwoo stood at the door way._

_Jungwoo turned to the side, letting Sicheng through the door. The Korean male hot on his trail as once Sicheng began go lead him down the hall way to one of the storage closets. Soon they were both in front of the said closest, the Chinese boy reached out to open it. Now with the open closet, most of it was half empty but Sicheng had put things he had found on the couch that they had moved to his condo in that space just in case. Jungwoo let out a big sigh of relief to see his canvas leaning against the_ _interior_ _walls of the closet along with other things that Sicheng hadn't known what to do with._

_"Oh my God, thank you for not throwing it away." Jungwoo breathed as he bent down to pick up the canvas in his hands, Sicheng closed the door once Jungwoo had taken the canvas. Yuta had gotten out of his bedroom by then and had reached where the two stood, peering down at Jungwoo's work that he admired in front of him. Yuta's eyes got big at the outlines of pencil that were drawn on the canvas._

_"Wow," Yuta muttered, more to himself than anyone, "you **really** like him." The japanese boy had his eyes glued to the canvas with the light brushes. Jungwoo frowned, not understanding the awe in Yuta's vocals, that is, until he realized what exactly it was that he had drawn on the canvas._

_There, in softly drawn lines, was a gorgeous profile sketch of Lucas Wong. And Jungwoo thought of it as gorgeous only because it was Lucas who he drew. Jungwoo swallowed stiffly, giving a timid nod before he maneuvered the canvas so he had it held to his chest, a sheepish smile painting his lips. Yuta looked at him with a slightly worried expression. It was wordless again, Yuta frowning and Jungwoo not trying to meet his gaze._

_"I really hope he's worth your time," Yuta said, breaking another short lived silence that accompanied them, Sicheng glanced at his boyfriend from beside him, confusion swimming in his eyes._ _Jungwoo exhaled, slowly nodding in agreement._

_Jungwoo too, Jungwoo really hoped he wasn't wasting anything on something that wouldn't last._

 


	11. @@@@@@@@@@@

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I tried to make the pics smaller but its didnt work :((((((

_**junguwu: don't @ me but denim was made for you** _

**_reallucas.wong: random but appreciated_ **

**_junguwu:_ **

     

     

**_junguwu: how tf do you look so good like?????_ **

**_reallucas.wong: who's flirting with who now_ **

**_junguwu: I can't relate_ **

**_junguwu: and stfu_ **

**_reallucas.wong: I heard a lie_ **

**_reallucas.wong: do you really think I'mma let that slide?_ **

**_reallucas.wong: Kim Jungwoo, just you wait til we meet each other. I'm going to shower you with compliments til you actually fight me for it_ **

**_junguwu: wow I really fucking hate you_ **

**_reallucas.wong: no you really fucking don't_ **

**_junguwu: ik_ **

**_*******_ **

_It was now Friday and Jungwoo was letting out a_ _sigh. He took a step back to look at his finished master piece. A paint brush in his right hand and a pallet in his other. He grinned, his face sporting smudges of paint from rubbing it with his palms that were stained. In front of him was his canvas on a stand. Jungwoo was in a baggy tee and a Jean jacket with denim pants. An apron of course wrapped around his waist. On the canvas was a beautifully draw portrait of Lucas' profile._

_The only thing that was painted were the blood red roses surrounding the model in the canvas. Lucas himself was outlined now more darkly in ink of a pen. He was in black and white, contrasting with the bright red of the roses Jungwoo had painted around him. The only part of the model that wasn't black and white was his shirt. Lucas wore a button up that Jungwoo tried to make seem silk, it was a lighter shade of red matching with the roses. Highlights were placed on the button up depending on where Jungwoo imagined the light was hitting the model inside the portrait._

_Jungwoo exhaled at his work._ _Satisfied_   _with_ _the result he had in front of him. He was sure to get at least a solid B on this. Jungwoo looked at the time on his clock that hung above his TV stand that was supposed to have a TV but only had boxes on top of it. 5:45 pm. Jungwoo turned back to his work, setting down his supplies on the towel he had laid on his bed for his painting equipment, reminding himself he'd clean it up later. He began to_ _untie_ _his apron, setting it aside his art supplies. Jungwoo had planned to continue packing the rest of his stuff, he wanted to get his clothes done today._

_With that in mind, Jungwoo turned from the right side of his bed and strolled over to the his closest before opening it's door. His eyes were met with remaining shirts on hangers and pants in drawers. Only to begin to take off as many of said shirts as he could  from their plastic hangers and before folding them and throwing them into a box to his left he had gotten ready before he even painted his portrait. He threw a red flannel in, then another Jean jacket. He had so many other things to pack that he needed to get done before Monday._

_Just as Jungwoo was already a few minutes into the mind numbing task, his phone vibrated. Jungwoo glanced at the device that laid on his night stand innocently before shrugging, telling himself if wouldn't hurt to check. It was from Lucas._

**_reallucas.wong: wyd_ **

**_junguwu: packing_ **

**_reallucas.wong: for?_ **

**_junguwu: I'm moving on Sunday to my new apartment_ **

**_reallucas.wong: oooo that's why you preferred to meet on Saturday_ **

**_reallucas.wong: how about I help you move on Sunday!_ **

**_junguwu: idk..._ **

**_reallucas.wong: is there something wrong?_ **

**_junguwu: well my new apartment is kind of shit so...._ **

**_reallucas.wong: wdym?_ **

**_junguwu: its really run down and it isnt in a great neighborhood, but it was all I could afford. I'm going to have to start working but there's a small convince store near so I'll probably apply there_ **

**_reallucas.wong: Its fine, I'm more than happy to help you :)_**


	12. @@@@@@@@@@@@

_1 hour and 15 minutes. Jungwoo began to tap his foot impatiently.  Doyoung side eyed him, obviously finding the  rhythmic  tapping of his foot on the marble floor of their classroom obnoxious. Class had just started, Mr. Wu was at the front explaining how he was going to grade the project that was due then, but of course, Jungwoo wasn't really listening. Even though his eyes didn't leave his teacher, Jungwoo's ears were turned off. And instead, the thing he focused on was picking at the strands from one of the holes in his jeans on his knee. His leg now bouncing. Jungwoo had barely gotten a wink of sleep the night before._

_How could he when he was going to be meeting Lucas Wong the next day? And now that day was today. 3 whole cups of coffee were pumping adrenaline through Jungwoo's veins, which contributed to his impulsive leg bouncing and the destructive cloth picking of his jeans. 1 hour and 14 minutes. Yes, Jungwoo was counting down in his head. He was feeling all jittery that morning, and maybe it was because of the coffee but Jungwoo knew that the caffeine wasn't the cause of the butterflies that fluttered in his stomach._

_Finally Mr. Wu had finished his little speech before his strolled back to his desk, sitting behind it as he began to type on his laptop. Doyoung nudge Jungwoo's side with his elbow and successfully snapped the other out of his coffee trance. Jungwoo looked around and spotted many students getting out their stools with their own canvases, protected in large plastic bags with their names stapled on them, under their arm, making a line to lean said canvases on the side of Mr. Wu's desk. That's they had turned in their projects._

_Doyoung stood up from his stool, with his canvas at his side, waiting for Jungwoo to tag along as he  trotted  behind a couple of students that were already in line. Jungwoo dashed to get his canvas and followed Doyoung. Now behind him in line._

_"Why are you so antsy today?" Jungwoo  found  Doyoung asking, stepping forward now that a person way ahead of them in line had just finished turning in their work._

_"Me? Antsy? What are you talking about?" Jungwoo laughed, also moving a step or two. Even though Doyoung's back was to him, Jungwoo could feel Doyoung's eyes roll._

_"Stop playing dumb." The other huffed.  And like a house of flimsy dollar store poker cards,  Jungwoo caved in instantly._

_"Okay, okay. I might or might not be going on a date with the famous model Lucas Wong today, and it might or might not be a date, because I honestly don't know-" Doyoung  turned  to face him at the mention of Lucas' name with a shocked  and  confused expression as Jungwoo went  on rambling, "-but we keep flirting with each other so it's lowkey a date, right? I don't want to be overthinking things but seriously he-"_

_"Woah woah." Doyoung put a halt to the other's big mouth. Jungwoo shut said mouth and stared at the doe eyed male who faced him. Even with the nervous wreck Jungwoo was, he looked at Doyoung so innocently with anxiousness  evident  in his eyes. "You're on speaking terms with Lucas Wong?" Doyoung dragged out his name._

_"....Yeah." Jungwoo trailed, glancing around the art room. The line moved again. Peeking in front of him, Doyoung noticed and stepped forward, suddenly gripping Jungwoo's wrist gently, dragging the other with him before he went back to staring dead at his seemingly crazy friend.  Lucas Wong? Seriously? Was this a joke?_

_"And you're going to meet each other today?" Doyoung asked carefully.  Jungwoo's lips pressed together, thinking hard. What was his tone of voice supposed to even mean?_

_"I guess we are?" It came out as a question, but Jungwoo truly didn't know what Doyoung was getting at. Doyoung let go of the other's thin wrist and exhaled._

_"Are you sure you're not getting  catfished ?" Doyoung pressed, he was serious. Jungwoo gave him an offended look. That thought was always in the back of his mind but it really was Lucas Wong._

_"Fine, don't believe me." Jungwoo clicked his tongue and looked away from Doyoung with crossed arms, still managing to hold on to his canvas. Doyoung chuckled with disbelief and ignored Jungwoo in return  but still dragged him to move in line if he was spacing out too much until they finally turned in their canvases._

_********_

_It was Saturday and Jungwoo was fully freaking out about the 2 hours he had left before he had to leave for his date but not so much date with Lucas. Jungwoo ran into the shared apartment once he had it unlocked and kicked off his shoes at the door way,  sliding  on the wooden floors with his socks. His backpack dangling from his shoulder as he slipped a couple of times and almost fell on his face during the journey to his room. Once he reached his door he opened it and slammed it shut from behind him. Both Sicheng and Yuta were actually home this time, probably finally finishing up Yuta's packing but Jungwoo was too busy rummaging through the boxes of clothes he had dumbly packed the day before._

_A red flannel with black jeans and a white tee? No. Just a blue flannel with light jeans? No, that would make him look like a whole ass cowboy. Jungwoo continued to ruin the neatly folded clothes as he looked for decent attire. He didn't want to go to the cafe looking like the slob he actually was, so almost everything in the box was a no. Why didn't he have any good clothes?_

_After almost 25 minutes of going back and forth between different outfit ideas, Jungwoo settled on a white tee underneath a checkered black and white jacket accompanied by a grey hood and dark jeans.  Jungwoo proceeded to slip into his newly picked attire before strolling  to the back of  his door where he  looked at himself in the mirror that hung there, which he mentally reminded himself he had to take down later. He nodded at his reflecting appearance with a small smile before he decided to carefully take off the clothes so he wouldn't wrinkle them. He placed the clothes on his bed, far from his art supplies, of course, and looked around the mess he had created of his bedroom floor but only feeling satisfied with his pick as he stood in only his boxers._

_And only in his boxers did Jungwoo exit it the room, quickly trying to get to bathroom where he would take a shower. The bathroom was a door in the hall to the left and was pretty easy to go into quickly. Jungwoo scurried down the hall and was about open the bathroom door when it opened on its own. Someone had already been inside. Sicheng stuck his head out, followed with the rest of his body. Jungwoo blushed red in embarrassment at the wide eyes Sicheng possessed  once they landed on Jungwoo's half naked form. There was tense silence before Sicheng's lips parted slightly._

_"S-sorry." Sicheng stuttered in a hurry as he walked past the half naked Jungwoo who he left frozen. It took Sicheng only a few seconds to reach Yuta's bedroom, Jungwoo hearing the hurried opening and closing of the japanese's door. As if it couldn't  have gotten anymore awkward between those too. Jungwoo sighed, annoyed with himself for making Sicheng uncomfortable. He stood there no second longer before dragging his feet into the bathroom, closing the door behind him. Jungwoo's face burned._

_Jungwoo's embarrassment wasn't long lived though. Once he was in the bathroom with the door locked, he began to strip himself, reaching for the knob of the shower before turning it on, Now butt naked, he stepped into the shower and let his embarrassment wash down the drain as his horny ass couldn't stop his own day dreams of a certain model, maybe even taking shower with him and doing other things. Jungwoo really must out of his mind._


	13. @@@@@@@@@@@@@

_**reallucas.wong: what's your favorite animated character?** _

_**junguwu: that's random** _

_**reallucas.wong: just answer** _

_**Read @ 1:55 pm** _

_**reallucas.wong: hurrY** _

_**Read @ 1:57 pm** _

_**reallucas.wong:** _ _**Jungwoooooo** _

_**Read @ 2:00 pm** _

_**reallucas.wong: Kim** _

_**reallucas.wong: Jungwoo** _

**_reallucas.wong: Kim_ **

**_reallucas.wong: Jungwoo_ **

**_reallucas.wong: Kim_ **

**_junguwu:_ ** **_Istg_ ** **_if you finish that_ **

**_reallucas.wong: well you're not answering :((_ **

**_reallucas.wong: what are you even doing?_ **

**_junguwu: I'm taking a shower you headass_ **

**_reallucas.wong: ( ͡° ل͜ ͡°)_ **

**_junguwu: I'm going to block you fr this time_ **

**_reallucas.wong: just gimme an answer real quick,_ ** **_plzzz_ **

**_junguwu: omfg_ **

**_junguwu: Kakao's Ryan_ **

**_reallucas.wong: alrighty <3_ **

**_**********_ **

_Jungwoo found himself tapping his foot again, but this time it wasn't because of coffee and he wasn't getting a glare from Doyoung. Instead, he was in Miss Lee Cafe sitting in one of the metal chairs by the window, a small table separating his seat from the other chair with his back toward the entrance. Jungwoo's phone was face up on the surface of the table as he reached over and turned it on to check the time. It was 3:20 pm. Lucas still wasn't there._

_Jungwoo felt anxiety rush through his veins the third time in the last 20 minutes. The Korean male had arrived at exactly 3 pm and had been sitting there, waiting for the last said 20 minutes for Lucas to show up. He would've texted him but Jungwoo didn't want to seem so clingy. It was only 20 minutes. He could wait a little longer._

_As_ _he waited a little more, Jungwoo tried not to sweat through his shirt and started to distract himself from the anxiety that was almost choking him by letting his eyes wonder the neatly decorated cafe. The main color was beige, there were many_ _ornaments_ _that made the cafe feel homey. Along with the rich scent of fresh brewing coffee. Jungwoo was off in his own world again. And thank God for that too, if not, he might've started overthinking everything._

_"Kim Jungwoo?" A muffled baritone voice called. Jungwoo whipped around in his chair, in some way startled at the deepness of the voice. In his chair, turned, now facing behind him with wide eyes, Jungwoo gazed at none other than Lucas Wong. The Korean male's heart nearly falling into the depths of his chest as his breath hitched. Lucas stood behind him, swallowed in a red hoodie, jeans and a face mask covering his lips and chin. Lucas' eyes looked more_ _piercing_ _in person than in pictures. Jungwoo's palms started to sweat on his lap._

_"Y-yeah." Jungwoo managed to stutter in his delicate voice. Even though he couldn't see Lucas' lips, Jungwoo could tell he was smiling by the_ _creases_   _that made it to his almond eyes. Jungwoo gulped at the dryness of his throat, quickly avoiding the stabbing eyes Lucas possessed and turned back in his chair. The model proceeded to walk around from behind him to the empty chair in front of Jungwoo instead. Lucas pulled the chair back and sat in it, oddly holding his left knee as he went down, as it if ached. Jungwoo didn't really mind too much of it since throughout the whole 12 second process the model never once took his eyes off him. It made the korean male turn slightly red, his line of view still averted Lucas'._

_There Lucas sat. Right in front of him. Jungwoo still couldn't believe it. Jungwoo couldn't even look him in the eyes right now but had the balls to call him an ugly ass noodle head behind his phone. God did the power of the internet really make Jungwoo's alter ego grow. But now under Lucas' stinging gaze, Jungwoo suddenly felt subconscious to the point where his fingers on his lap began to ring together underneath the table._

_"Wow." Lucas exhaled in awe, Jungwoo's blush deepened as he peeked up at Lucas through his dark lashes. The model had taken his face mask down, still on but moved under his chin, now revealing the bottom half of his face. His chin was resting in his palm as his elbow leaned on the surface of the table. He was staring so deeply at Jungwoo. "You're really fucking cute. I'm speechless." Lucas breathed shamelessly. The atmosphere was wordless as he continued to blatantly stare before a frown creased his face, as if he was concentrating. He leaned a little closer, to get a better look, over the table examining every inch of Jungwoo's face, flaws and all._

_Jungwoo jumped back a little, still not looking at Lucas straight in the face, biting his bottom lip. He was about to combust. And combust he practically did. With Lucas still so profoundly and shamelessly staring at him Jungwoo brought up his hands from his lap, his palms facing Lucas and the back of his hands covering his face_ _, blocking Lucas' view._

_"Oh my God, stop." Jungwoo whined, his voice going up a small octave and his jittery feelings exploding inside of him. "I swear if you keep fucking staring at me I'm going to kick your dumbass right in the face." Jungwoo muttered, no real threat in his soft vocals._ _Silence filled the air for a minute before Lucas could be heard letting out a choked laughter._

_"You really are the guy I've been talking to for the past two weeks." Lucas wheezed, still laughing hysterically to himself. Jungwoo mentally noted just how cute Lucas' uncontrollable laugh was._ _Jungwoo felt himself grin sheepishly behind his hands, moving them slightly because he was about to bring them down. He planned to set down his palms to reveal his face and get a better look at the laughing Lucas but by the time he was thinking on doing such a thing the model's laughter had already begun to die down to chuckles. And he hadn't even brought his hands down all the way when Jungwoo felt warm fingers wrapping themselves around of his hands._

_Jungwoo felt himself lose his breath as Lucas brought one of his own hands down onto the table, Lucas' palm warming Jungwoo's skin._ _A big gorgeous smile graced the model's godly features._ _Lucas_ _was staring right at him, right in his deep brown eyes, drowning in them completely. And Jungwoo was finally returning the favor._ _Drowning just as much or even more so._


	14. @@@@@@@@@@@@@@

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Birthday to my bby girl Milky!!!!! UWU <3 @/peachyysana on ig

_Lucas' hand engulfed Jungwoo's. Both of them not taking their eyes off each other for a minute. All of Jungwoo's anxiety had been washed out the second Lucas had taken his palm._ _All of this seemed to be out of a movie. Lucas' hoodie covering his mess of hair that was more endearing than anything, and that smile. That smile Lucas wore. This had to be fake. A dream? Jungwoo pulled at his hand, retracting it from underneath Lucas' palm. The model frowned, his brows creasing, wondering if he had done something wrong._

_"It's nothing," Jungwoo quickly reassured, "this is just hella cheesy. Are you really trying to pull this, here? When we just met?" He teased, trying not to let his smile show. Lucas scoffed with a quirky grin, chuckling under his breath. The model leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms._

_"Fair enough." He mused. His eyes not leaving Jungwoo. His dark orbs really seemed to be glued to him. Lucas opened his mouth to speak when there was a clearing of someone's throat. For the first time he had arrived his eyes tore from Jungwoo to beside him, where a young woman stood, a black apron around her waist and a note pad in her hands._

_Lucas' coughed a little, shuffling in his seat as he fixed his position, trying to make sure his face was less visible, bringing up his face mask to cover himself. Jungwoo glanced at Lucas' movement with a cocked brow before looking up at the woman who had peeked at Lucas with the same puzzlement. The glance didn't last long though, she turned back to Jungwoo_ _only a few seconds after._

_"Are you ready to order?" She asked politely. Jungwoo nodded while Lucas stayed silent and slumped in his seat, trying to hide his face._

_"I'll have green tea, medium please." Jungwoo responded. The woman scribbled it down then looked towards Lucas who was basically trying squeeze into a ball. Jungwoo's expression turned sour in utter confusion, noticing the silence that pierced the air and turned in his chair, successfully catching the woman's attention away from Lucas who she had been staring at, impatience reflecting in her eyes. "He'll have the same." Jungwoo answered the question that wasn't asked. The woman wrote that down before nodding and leaving the two alone again._

_Jungwoo turned to Lucas who was now reappearing from his_ _cocoon_ _. Lucas peeked around from hiding in his hood and sighed once he realized it was just the two of them, straightening himself in his seat._

_"You've really let this whole model thing get to your head, haven't you?" Jungwoo voiced, motioning towards his own head, before mindlessly letting his eyes wander the cafe. After seconds of wandering, his gaze landed on Lucas' overdramatic looking expression that Jungwoo was guessing was supposed to portray the emotion of offence._ _Lucas huffed, his lips in a small pout and Jungwoo found his heart skip at the sight._

_"It happens, people recognize me." Lucas explained, trying to convince him weakly. Jungwoo  gave him a teasing smile and hummed in false agreement. "Fine, don't believe me." Lucas sang smugly, pouting more proudly now. Jungwoo felt himself stifle a chuckle at Lucas' ridiculous tactics._ _The two settled themselves in comfortable silence for a few seconds._ _Jungwoo peeking at the boy across from him_ _a few times and the other only did the same. Shit-eating smiles gracing both of their faces._

_And as if there had been a light bubble switched on in Lucas' head_ _,_ _the model's eyes widened in a some sort of form of realization and suddenly started to feel up his pockets. Moving around in his seat, as if he looking for something. Jungwoo tilted his head and was about to speak when the woman came back and set their drinks she carried on the table in front of them. Lucas had halted his search and made it his top priority in that span of 5 seconds to hide his identity from the waitress who gave him a look once more but walked away without a word. Once she was gone again, Lucas almost_ _immediately_ _went back to his determined search._

_"What are you looking for?" Jungwoo asked, reaching for his drink in front of him. Taking the cold beverage into his hands and bringing the straw to his lips as he took a sip, eyeing Lucas pick at his own pockets._

_"Ah hah!" Lucas abruptly rejoiced, pulling something out from underneath the table and setting it on the surface. Jungwoo's eyes followed what Lucas' palm had just set it down. It was a key chain with the Ryan character from Kakao on it._ _Jungwoo didn't really know why Lucas had this big eyed expression,_ _expecting_ _something from him as he looked between the key chain and the model a couple of times._

_**"What's your favorite animated character?"** _

**Oh.**

_Almost as if someone had chucked a tomato at Jungwoo's face, his cheeks turned a bright red. His hand coming up to his mouth, trying to hold back his upcoming cackles. His attempt was half hearted because he let himself erupt in wind_ _whirling_ _laughter only a few seconds later, tears colleting at the corners of his gorgeous eyes. Jungwoo could see Lucas' blush from behind his mask, the red reaching a little bellow his eyes._

_"Seriously, you're such a dork." Jungwoo panted, finally catching his breath from that over_ _exaggerated_ _laugh he was storming up a few seconds ago. Jungwoo reached over the table and picked up the key chain, the metal rattling against the thin plastic_ _miniature_   _Ryan connected to the chain. Jungwoo held it up close, a soft smile appearing on his face, his chest expanding at Lucas' cuteness. "I like it, thanks." Jungwoo grinned, admiring the key chain that now dangled from his finger._

_Lucas perked up at the comment, bringing his hand up to to pull down his black face mask, revealing his goofy ass grin. Lucas really liked Jungwoo's smile. The words Jungwoo spoke were so soft due to the the sound of his delicate voice. It drew the model in, just as much as his breathtaking smile did._

_Lucas reached for his own cup and brought the straw in between his lips. Taking in the tea, the sweetness rolling on his tongue as he watched Jungwoo stuff the key chain safely in his pocket. Leaning down to reach his pocket, Jungwoo noticed_ __how Lucas' arm had slid underneath the table long ago, the Korean male peeked to see Lucas massaging his left knee with his big palm._ _ _The college student frowned before he leaned back up, also taking the cup of his green tea he had left untouched for a little while after the first sip and took another one. Was something wrong with his knee?_

_He peeked up at Lucas, who had his eyes on him again, but didn't know whether he should say something before the model drew away from his straw._ _Jungwoo opened his mouth to question what seemed like an attempt to sooth his knee when Lucas beat him to it._

" _Wanna go out and walk around after this? I really wanna you show this one place." Lucas beamed. With question still on his tongue, Jungwoo gulped at the gorgeous sight in front of him, his stomach doing flips. And of course, how could Jungwoo say no to that cute little face._


	15. @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

_"You're much shorter than I thought you'd be." Lucas concluded, Jungwoo scoffed from beside him before nudging the model in the chest_ _playfully_ _with his elbow._ _Jungwoo_ _glanced at the taller. Lucas was smirking at Jungwoo's weak attempt. The two had just gotten finished with their drinks at the cozy cafe, and like Jungwoo had promised the other, he was letting him drag him around to where ever it was Lucas wanted._

_They strolled beside each other on the sidewalk only a few blocks away from the cafe. The street was quiet. There were only a few people near, some were wearing gym clothes, jogging around with ear buds plugging their ears and others simply walking their dogs._ _The sun was beaming down on the joggers, their toned skin letting out beads of sweat and the furry dogs sticking out their tongues as they panted happily while Lucas Wong was right beside him. Jungwoo found the name rolling off his tongue._

_"Lucas, you ass. I'm not even that much shorter than you." Jungwoo remarked_ _lightheartedly, an impish smile hinting at his lips again. Lucas grinned dumbly, but didn't respond, underneath the face mask he had pulled up before they left the cafe, but he didn't say anything, only enjoyed the silence that fell over them. Jungwoo shyly peered up at the taller again to see droplets of sweat dripping down his temple, the tips of his dirty blonde fringe gathered_ _together in the sweat that collected from above his eyebrows. "Aren't you hot?" Jungwoo asked. Lucas glanced at Jungwoo briefly, his damp eyebrows cocked with a smile peeking the corner of his eyes as he swayed in a walk beside the shorter. Obviously shifting his weight to his right knee more often than not._ _Jungwoo wanted to comment, but didn't._

_"Hotter than dick." Lucas replied nonchalantly in the muffle of his mask but nonetheless making Jungwoo choke on air at his odd depiction of heat. Right after Jungwoo's choked oxygen intake, he burst into a rambunctious laughter, Lucas eyeing him with a glint of satisfaction in the brown of his round eyes. "I measure the temperature in dick." Lucas reasoned with a little shrug, sending Jungwoo in a spiral of uncontrollable giggles again._

_It was dumb. It really was. But Jungwoo was laughing wholeheartedly like the time he had watched Yuta lose his cool in front of Sicheng, all flustered. The Osaka man was always so put together that seeing him become a stuttering mess in front of Sicheng really grinded Jungwoo's gears. But this time he was laughing out of the love sickness he wouldn't admit to himself fully just yet._

_"You're so dumb." Jungwoo finished his cackle with that phrase. This whole time the two still letting their limbs go, Jungwoo subconsciously following Lucas' lead since he was the one wanting to show him something._

_"You'd be surprised to see my grades." Lucas prompted pridefully, Jungwoo smiled at him, his eyes shining as he looked beside him. The taller taking good steps forward, his palms shoved in the heating pockets of his hoodie._

_"From Highschool?" Jungwoo questioned grinning at the small flock of birds that flew above them before hiding in a near tree._

_"Nope, I'm taking online courses for college." Lucas answered smugly. He really was proud. Jungwoo was becoming more interested, his heart drumming whenever he spotted Lucas' smile he knew the model wore under the mask, the wrinkles under his eyes making it obvious._

_"What do you major in?" Jungwoo continued to press at the subject, but not that neither of them minded. The two were wondering to what seemed like nowhere._

_"Engineering." This time the grin must've been so wide because the art student could see the twinkle of interest in Lucas' eyes. Jungwoo was surprised to hear the answer. Lucas didn't really seem the type to be majoring in such a complex subject. Jungwoo would've thought he majored in something along the lines of sports or maybe even photography. Lucas peeked at Jungwoo to see the unexpectance in his expression. His own twinkle seemed to die a little inside his eyes, blending with the brown._

_"I wasn't expecting that." Jungwoo stated truthfully, turning to stare at the sidewalk as they passed more doors of small shops._

_"Most people don't." Lucas laughed, but it sounded bitter. Jungwoo frowned. "To a lot of people, I'm just a pretty face, ya know?" Lucas asked. Even though it came out as a question, it didn't really sound like he wanted an answer. Jungwoo felt his heart weigh at the atmosphere of defeat that radiated from Lucas' seemingly usually happy self. Jungwoo walked closer and decided, without much thought, to slip his hand into the pocket of Lucas' hoodie, taking a hold of Lucas' slightly clammy palm. Jungwoo didn't really care at this point. His heart buzzing. He hated the way Lucas' eyes dimmed at those words that slipped his mouth._

_Neither of them stopped walking and Lucas didn't look at Jungwoo, but only tightened his grip on Jungwoo's hand. The shorter moved his palm in the hoodie pocket and laced their fingers together. Lucas could be heard letting out a soft chuckle and Jungwoo grinned at the sweet sound._

_Lucas squeezed Jungwoo's grip in his hoodie as they made a turn and stood by the crossing, waiting for electrical sign to to flicker green for them to walk to the other side of the street where the other sidewalk was. The street was practically empty, only one or two cars passed by before the red hand switched to a profile of a stick figure walking in green. Jungwoo's brows creased as Lucas dragged him cross the street. Hurried now, their palms collecting with sweat but neither of them bothered to let each other go._

_Once they made to the other side Lucas had furthered their fast paced walk down the new sidewalk. Jungwoo's eyes flying past signs of different stores, this time reading the names, Kim's Shoes. Bakery Bread. Passing by all of them. The 5th sign from an establishment came into view but this time Lucas slowed down. The sign was large and dangling with vibrant coloring. Green Arcade._

_When they finally reached it, Lucas stopped in front of the door and with his free hand, he pulled it out of his hoodie's pocket and opened the door. The cool air escaped the door way as the chimes and songs of the arcade games sang in the distance. The refreshing air invited the rather hot art student. Jungwoo felt like laughing again in endearment. Lucas was really taking his ass to an Arcade. Instead, Jungwoo smiled teasingly before entering, having Lucas follow behind him, their hands still molded into each other's. Jungwoo glanced at the model in a giddy way to find Lucas was grinning again. Jungwoo could tell._


	16. @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

_As much as Jungwoo was embarrassed to admit it, that had probably been the best date he had ever experienced. Was it even a date? It didn't really matter to Jungwoo at that moment, he was too high off the feeling of Lucas and him ridiculously competing against each other on every other game there was. Even when the employee behind the counter had given the two side glances, Jungwoo couldn't tell whether it was out of confusion or disgust that two 20 something year olds were screaming and jumping around at each other as one of them beat the other at Street Fighter_ _II_ _._

_After hours of aimlessly playing, the two were content with the cheap trinkets on them. They had spent all their tokens on the multiple games and equally spent their earned tickets at the stand. The employee was still giving them face but nonetheless handed them the prizes in exchange for their mountain of tickets. Jungwoo walked out with a ring pop on his finger, he was slowly eating it on the way out, a bag choking with random handfuls of candy and a couple of stickers. There were two stars and a heart stuck underneath Jungwoo's eyes, courtesy of Lucas being a goof and planting the little stickers there, but Jungwoo wasn't complaining._

_On the other hand, the model walked out with a hard candy necklace around his neck, a multi colored slap bracelet on his wrist that was still pulsing from when Jungwoo slapped that damn thing on him, (Lucas had yelped out but both of them only cackled up a storm afterward) 3 or 4 ugly looking plastic finger puppets and the rest were a variety of lollipops. Lucas had explained his undying love for the diabetes plagued spheres on a stick earlier before buying over 8 sets of the tasty treats._

_The_ _two had finally decided to exit the arcade and spotted that the sun was already setting. Both of them just standing at the entrance if the arcade staring at sunset. The sky was painted with pretty pinks, yellows and purples swirling on the it's blue canvas that turned dark on one side of the sphere of the earth. It was breathtaking. Jungwoo gasped at the sight of nature's beautiful mixture of gradient. Lucas glanced at the boy then at the sky and felt his breath hitch too. It wasn't unusual for the sky to look so pretty as the sun set. It was just, for some reason, Jungwoo and Lucas found the setting of the sun that day, and it's effects on the sky, especially gorgeous, together._

_"How did you even find this place?" Jungwoo questioned gently, finally looking away from_ _the coloring of dusk. Jungwoo breathed in, the air seemed to have chilled while they were inside the arcade, it was refreshing and matched with the hidden blue of the sky with the remaining clouds looking like cotton._

_"While you were busy being a full time college student, I decided to explore around here,"_ _Lucas began, grinning, "I was alone and bored, it's been months since my manager gave me the chance to go around to do what I wanted." Lucas exhaled dreamily, not tearing his eyes from the sky's gorgeous design._

_"And you're a part time college student?" Jungwoo chuckled, stepping away as he began to stroll down the sidewalk, the bag of candy swinging at his side as he walked without a place to go to. Just walking. Lucas quickly caught up with the shorter, he hadn't gone far anyway._

_"Yeah, on the weeks I have free time, like this one, I don't have to do my courses. Though, in exchange, I have to work ahead during the time I'm traveling or in between shoots. Next week I'm booked again though," Lucas further answered, Jungwoo nodded, acknowledging Lucas words. Jungwoo felt his heart grow, just thinking about Lucas tiredly finishing up an essay in one of the passengers of a plane made Jungwoo want to baby the model's bean stalk ass._ _"Did you have classes before coming here?" Lucas questioned randomly, but still on the topic of school, swaying at his step. Neither of them looking at each other, but ahead._

_"Yeah, art." Jungwoo replied, a small smile painting his face, "I had to turn in my project today."_

_"What was your project about?" Lucas muttered through his pulled up mask, kicking a pebble from the sidewalk as they continued to wander. Jungwoo opened his mouth but paused, as something dawned on him before he proceed his on upcoming sentence._

_"..the prompt was our own representation of something or someone that brings the positive emotions out of us, using whatever method we wanted, we presented on our canvases our definition of peace and beauty.... something we admired or_ _lov_ _-" Jungwoo stopped himself. Realizing that Lucas was his definition of exactly that. The red roses around his side profile and the model himself, brought Jungwoo joy, filled his heart to the fullest. Lucas glanced at the shorter to his cut off sentence._

_"Who did you draw?" Lucas probed, not halting in his stride. Jungwoo slowly took steps beside him. Without a pause nor an intake of breath, Jungwoo answered, his voice void of hesitation._

_"You."_


	17. @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

 

**Saturday, 7:35 PM**

  
_**g**_ ** _aylegend_** ** _:_** ** _heYyy_**

 _**g**_ ** _aylegend_ ** **_: wait_ **

_**g** _ **_aylegend_ ** **_: aren't you meeting your boy toy today?_ **

**_junguwu_ ** **_omfg Ten_**

_**g**_ ** _aylegend_ ** **_: DID Y'ALL MEET OR WHAT_ **

**_junguwu: we did..._**

**_junguwu: and I might've told him I drew him as my representation of beauty and happiness for my art project_**

**_junguwu: it doesn't sound as bad_ ** **_as_ ** **_it actually was_**

_**g**_ ** _aylegend_ ** **_: you're such a headass, you know that?_**  

_**g**_ ** _aylegend_ ** **_: you're a disappointment to the gay community_**

**_junguwu: I'm literally the worst gay_**

**_junguwu: first I can barely get laid and second my mouth runs too much_**

_**g**_ ** _aylegend_ ** **_: smh_**

_**g**_ ** _aylegend_ ** **_: you had the representative gay of Korea AND Thailand living with you for almost 2 years, I thought you'd learn something from me_**

_**g**_ ** _aylegend_ ** **_: but spill_**

**_junguwu: it was_ ** **_sooooo_ ** **_awkward when I said that, even after all the flirty shit we've been doing. And it's the fact I drew his ugly ass for my project that turns him off_**

_**gaylegend** _ _**: wow, a gay** _ **_mess_**

**_junguwu: I hate him_**

_**gaylegend**_ ** _: I think that's the biggest lie I've ever heard_** **_you say besides the_** ** _time you said you could pull off drag_**

**_junguwu: I hate you too_ **

**_junguwu: but more_**

_**gaylegend** _ _**: how far did you go?**_

_**junguwu: holding hands**_

_**gaylegend** _ _**: are we still in 1st grade or did I miss something???**_

_**junguwu: getting to third base is so much easier said than done**_

_**junguwu: especially when the guy you like is super dense and annoyingly cute to the point that you don't know what else to do but insult him**_

_**gaylegend** _ _**: did you insult him?**_

_**junguwu: no**_

_**junguwu: I held my tongue**_

_**gaylegend** _ _**: good, don't scare this one away, I told you that its hard to tell when you're joking and when you're not**_

_**junguwu: ik**_

_**gaylegend** _ _**: well good luck with your boy toy, I'm about to get my meat beat by my man Johnny so don't text me**_

_**junguwu: yeah**_

_**junguwu: I definitely hate you more** _

 

 

***********

_Jungwoo laid in his bed, staring at the spiky ceiling of his room. It had been dark out for a while now. The street lights peeked through his blinds, dimly lighting the darkness of his room. He hadn't bothered to turn on the lights before flopping onto his bed when he had gotten home. He was exhausted. Everything he owned in boxes scattered along the room as he took in the silence._

_No one was home, no one would ever be home. Yuta had finished packing and was spending his first night at_ _Sicheng's_ _place that Saturday night. They had cleaned out his room, there was no one else inside the apartment besides Jungwoo. He didn't know how he was going sleep, Jungwoo always found it hard to get a good night's rest when he was aware he was alone. That the apartment was hollow of people besides himself. It scared him._

_Jungwoo sighed, trying to get his mind off the emptiness that bit at his heart. And just as he requested of himself, instead, he began to remember the scene that played out earlier that day. After he had mentioned the muse of his painting to Lucas, it was stiffly awkward, Jungwoo recalled. Lucas wouldn't even meet his eyes._

_Jungwoo felt something weigh his stomach, anxiety choking him as his mind began to feel foggy. Did he do something wrong? Was it too much? Jungwoo didn't understand. The college student twisted and turned in his bed. And realized he couldn't even go to Ten's room and complain. It wasn't Ten's room anymore. Jungwoo groaned loudly, trying not to let his eyes well up with tears. He hated this. He hated the insecurity that smothered him. He felt like something was squeezing down on his chest._

_Lucas and him hadn't even talked about their plans for Sunday and his moving then. Outside the entrance of the arcade, Lucas had slipped from the awkward atmosphere by looking down at his phone then giving Jungwoo an excuse to his sudden departure before leaving the shorter standing there, with too much candy to eat, by himself. Jungwoo hated this. It was only their first meeting and Jungwoo already felt like Lucas was sick of him. It was_ **_only_ ** _their first meeting and Jungwoo already felt that he liked Lucas_ **_too_ ** _much. Jungwoo hated this_ _a lot._

_With a bitter feeling in his stomach and his chest tightening, Jungwoo somehow managed to sink into restless sleep. His eye lids fell to a close as he laid on his bed, his sheets still covering the mattress neatly and his clothes from earlier stilling sticking to his body as he drowned further into a dreamless night._

*********

_The apartment was practically empty and so was Jungwoo in his troubled sleep. It was at around 3 in the morning that the apartment's silence was interrupted by the jangling of keys going into the slot of the key hole belonging to the front door and the said door squeaking it's way open and closed. Jungwoo stirred in his sleep to the sounds that echoed the hallway down to his room._

_Jungwoo was always a light sleeper so he wasn't surprised that to find himself cracking his eyes open to see his dark ceiling. He squinted in the darkness before turning on his side. He closed his eyes again, planning to go to sleep, when he heard footsteps on the wooden floor, creaking their way into one of the rooms across from his._

_Jungwoo forced himself to open his eyes at the rustling noises that were muffled through the walls. Jungwoo felt puzzlement dawn him as he continued to listen in to the creaks and thuds. His eyes now wide open and his brain turning it's gears, trying to figure out who it was. He had locked the door so it had to have been either Yuta or Ten. Unless he thought he had locked the door. He locked the door right? Jungwoo couldn't remember. Why would it be Ten or Yuta? Wouldn't they be too busy drilling their boyfriends or too busy getting drilled by their boyfriends to be barging into the apartment at this time?_

_Jungwoo's heart stuttered to the thought of it being a total stranger rummaging through the apartment. And so with his eyes staring some time into the door across his bed and not too far from it, he rose on his shaky legs from his bed slowly. Struggling to keep the springs of the bed to stay silent._ _Jungwoo carefully placed his feet down to the side of his bed as they touched the cold hard floor before gently lifting his weight from the mattress, still keeping his ears open to the noises that didn't seem to seize. Once he was finally off the bed, Jungwoo glanced around his room for something intimidating, his blood rush to the tips of his fingers as he dumbly grabbed to the nearest thing, which just happened to be one of his many hangers._

_So with his fingers wrapped around the hanger and it drawn back, past his head, in a stance to be thrown, Jungwoo's heart began to drum against his rib cage painfully. The college student took soft steps towards his door, his free hand ready to reach out to turn the knob once he got close enough. In this slow and deadly quiet process, the thumps from the other room seemed to come to a stop. Jungwoo gulped, frozen in his step, his hand only a few inches away from the knob._

_The art student_ _listened in as the footsteps were heard leaving one of the two rooms. Jungwoo couldn't tell which one. They sounded clearer and harder. Jungwoo felt his first sweat droplet drip down his chin. The footsteps were coming towards his room. Jungwoo's throat closed up as the footsteps became silent at his door, and the knob in front of him began to turn._

 _Just as quick as the door had opened was just as quick as Jungwoo had chucked his hanger at whoever was behind the door there was a painful squeal. His eyes were wrenched shut and his figure flinching once he let the hanger leave his fingers to hit whatever he had aimed at._ _Jungwoo really was a mess._


	18. @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> updating again because I'm nice like that

_"What the fuck-" a familiar tender voice yelped. Jungwoo's eyes snapped open to see the slightly shorter male with his lean and thin_ _physique_ _crouching in pain. Holding his head in his palms where Jungwoo had unintentionally aimed his hanger._

_"Ten?" Jungwoo exhaled, the breath he had been holding pouring through his lips in that one syllable._

_"No._ _The boogie man." Ten hissed, his face_ _sour_ _with distaste once he lifted his head. He continued to rub his forehead with the tip of his fingers to bring comfort to Jungwoo's targeted spot. He looked around for what Jungwoo had thrown on him. His eyes finally landing on wooden floor where the hanger innocently laid and had only ricocheted off his poor forehead seconds ago. "A fucking hanger? Really?" Ten drawled, clenching his jaw, struggling to sooth his pulsing skull. Jungwoo frowned._

_"What are you doing here?" Jungwoo questioned, ignoring Ten last comment and the fact that had injured him, it wasn't that bad. Jungwoo knew he'd get over it. The thai boy peeked up at the other._

_"I wanted to check on you." He responded almost instantly. Letting his hand fall from his forehead to his side, a red line now visible on his skin. Jungwoo cocked one of his eyebrows, clearly not convinced. Ten caved in rather quickly to Jungwoo's skeptical stare, letting out a huff. "And," the Thai boy dragged the word, "I forgot something."_

_"At 3 in the morning?"_

_"At 3 in the morning." Ten nodded with no shame._ _Jungwoo's frown deepened. Ten gave him a shrug and proceed to stroll over to the side of Jungwoo's bed before letting his little ass fall on the sheets. He looked at Jungwoo, who's eyes had followed the him all the way to the bed. The thai boy then patted the space beside him as if inviting Jungwoo to sit down. And he did. Once Jungwoo was situated_ _beside_ _the other, Ten began to open his mouth again._

_"Why aren't you in pajamas?"_

_"Forgot."_

_Ten hummed, letting his eyes wander Jungwoo's bed room aimlessly_ _now._

_"Wanna talk?" Ten asked, this time turning his full attention towards Jungwoo who did the same in return. It was silent before the college student slowly nodded and opened lips to free himself, or as Ten many times put it, vent._

*******

**Sunday, 8:57 AM**

_**reallucas.wong: I'm so sorry for leaving so suddenly** _

_**reallucas.wong:** _ **_my manager needed me for some shit_ **

**_junguwu: it's fine I guess_ **

**_reallucas.wong: I'm_ ** **_really_ ** **_sorry_ **

**_reallucas.wong: are we still up for today? I wanna help you move, it's up to you though_ **

**_junguwu: if you wanna_ **

**_reallucas.wong: I really do_ **

**_junguwu: k, I'll send you my address_ **

**_reallucas.wong: I'm seriously sorry_ **

**_junguwu: ik_ **

******

_It was Sunday and Jungwoo was waiting for Lucas again. Less excited this time, he wasn't tingling with shy buzzes. The buzzes were anxious, they had been anxious before. But, this time, they weren't sweet shocks of mixed anxiety and anticipation like at the cafe. They weren't insecure then, they were now._

__The college student was grateful towards Ten for his presence at 3 in the morning prior to then. He had let off some real steam_ _ _with Ten giving some advice here and there. After Ten had listened to Jungwoo's rant for 2 hours then he had left the apartment with a boxes of things. Jungwoo had asked what they were but Ten told him he was sure it was for the better that he didn't know. And Jungwoo hadn't pushed any further. He was sure it was a number of sex toys and it was too early in the morning for them to be talking in crackhead so they just left_ _it at that._

_But now Jungwoo was pacing_ _in the foyer as he rung his fingers together. His attempt at not trying to overthink things, failing. How could their goofy, dumbass and strictly flirty relationship turn into Jungwoo being a whole mess after their first meeting? Jungwoo had been a mess before, or just in general, but he usually thought with his dick so he didn't have much time to think with his head for anything to affect him emotionally._

_The thing was, this time, his dick wasn't working. Jungwoo had tried. Jungwoo had taken a piece of Ten's advice from their at 3 in the morning. He had watched a variety of porn earlier to see if his could fap his feelings away, it didn't work, obviously. He tried so many. Kinky or plain. Cheap or, well all porn was cheap. The point was that little Jungwoo was broken. Leaving the bigger Jungwoo without the ability to nut his way out of anxiety. Which he did a lot. He was deprived of the gateway, that more often than not, flushed his body from these choking emotions._ _He was sick of it._

__And Jungwoo would have to continue to be sick of this later because there_ _ _was a sudden knock at the front door. The sound boomed through the emptiness of the foyer, the only thing at the door were Jungwoo's shoes, and Jungwoo himself. The college student swallowed the lump in his throat, or at least tried to, before reaching for the knob of the door and finally turning it._

_Behind the door, Lucas stood in all his tall_ _demeanor_ _. The top of his head almost reaching the height of the door way. He wore a open button shirt with a white tee underneath it and joggers._ _A face mask casually stringing half of his features. Jungwoo felt his heart thunder suddenly before it died down to small thumps that sent buzzes to his fingers tips. Jungwoo was whipped, really, really fucking whipped._


	19. @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

_"Hey." Was the first thing that felt Lucas' lips, the greeting muffled his mask._ _The two had been talking for two weeks. Just about two. And here Lucas was, gorgeous. And there Jungwoo was, a mess. Was the universe out to get him? What had he done something in his past life to be suffocated with such complex emotions?_ _Maybe they weren't complex, maybe it was just Jungwoo making them out to be._

_Jungwoo didn't have time to be thinking so philosophically so he shoved those thoughts at the back of his mind. The art student blinked, realizing he still hadn't answered the awkward swaying Lucas who was still standing at the entrance. Jungwoo cleared his throat and moved aside to let Lucas have space to enter._

_"Hey.." Jungwoo whispered, his vocals slightly shaky. Lucas nodded, a small smile appearing underneath his mask as he entered the foyer and began to take off his shoes with the help of his heels. Lucas proceeded to pull down his face mask to underneath his chin, his face had started to get irritatingly hot from the cloth. The air was thick and once he was bare in socks Jungwoo walked away from the foyer, in a hurried step, to the kitchen. On the counter was brewing tea he had been preparing for a while. Jungwoo was so nervous that he actually spent almost 30 minutes debating on whether to serve them tea or coffee and finally had decided on tea. Jungwoo really hoped Lucas liked chamomile._

__Jungwoo scampered to the cabinets and pulled out two plain brown mugs from the shelves, turning around and setting them on the counter next to the tea._ _ _Lucas had followed Jungwoo out of the foyer but stopped to take a seat at the only couch near the bar, subtly but not so subtly staring at Jungwoo. The korean male poured the steaming tea into the mugs for the both of them on the kitchen counter. Jungwoo could feel Lucas' eyes on him, like always. Jungwoo placed his hand beside his mug, slightly holding it as he slowly poured the tea._

_Jungwoo_ _felt his throat grow dryer as he filled his own mug with the boiling substance before exhaling_ _shakingly_ _, accidentally_ _spilling the heating tea on the side of the mug that dripped onto his skin. Jungwoo yelped, flinching back quickly to the burning sensation that bit at his skin. The mug clattering at the sudden movement from the art student's sudden draw back. Even though Jungwoo hadn't looked at Lucas the entire time, he could hear the rapidly approaching footsteps that sounded worried._

_"Fuck." Jungwoo hissed, setting down the kettle of the tea that was still brewing, shaking off his stinging hand. It wasn't long until Lucas was at his side, his front pressed against Jungwoo's back as he took a hold of the art student's wrist delicately_ _. The model maneuvered_   _them_ _to the sink as he reached over with his free hand and quickly turned on the faucet. He placed Jungwoo's injured hand directly underneath the cool falling water._

_Jungwoo sighed subconsciously in relief as the water calmed the sharp stabs that ate his skin. Soon, Jungwoo realized their position. His heart almost drum rolling itself out from behind his ribs. Lucas had his fingers so gently wrapped around his wrist that sparked up a sensation stronger than his small injury had. Lucas looming his taller figure over Jungwoo, making his hand was getting the right treatment from the  running the water, their body heat mingled between each other so casually._

_Jungwoo felt his heart sky rocket into his throat now, warmth driving up his neck and settling at_ _his cheeks. Lucas, being as  dense as ever, was not paying attention to anything but the task of cooling Jungwoo's hand. The skin between the art student's thumb and index finger was now starting to show in a slight red._

_The blissful and yet dangerous moment didn't last long, it was only a few seconds that Jungwoo had Lucas hovering over his shoulder with his chest hotly pressed against his own back side before the model released Jungwoo's thin wrist and drew back, giving the other space. Jungwoo breathed in, clenching his other hand that was at his side. His chest hurt._ _Silence seemed to brew thicker than the tea. The atmosphere was awkward again, with Jungwoo and his back towards Lucas, the model stabbing the art student with concerned stares at the lack of speech. Jungwoo bit his bottom lip, his eyes running across the red of his hand before exhaling. His mind fogged._

_"S-Sorry." Jungwoo spoke, not really thinking. Lucas now staring more intently at the view of Jungwoo's back. The model was puzzled almost instantly at the shakiness of the other's vocals when he said those words._

_"For?" Lucas pondered curiously. There was no pause._

_"Liking you so damn much." Jungwoo confessed in one single breath._ _Lucas' head titled, very confused now._

_"I already knew that you liked me?" Lucas continued, "That's one of the first things you told me." The model began to feel an odd emotion settling at his stomach to the sight of Jungwoo's deflated posture. Why was Jungwoo apologizing? Why did he look so delicate and unguarded in front of him?_

_The art student's hand was still underneath the running water. The sound of the liquid hitting his skin then the metal of the sink sung through another silent blanket that covered them both_ _,_ _very briefly filling up the wordless atmosphere._

_"It's for real this time." Jungwoo sighed, breaking their speechless streak. His figure turned, Lucas getting a better view at Jungwoo's hard thinking expression, the art student's eyes not daring to meet his. For real this time? Lucas was_ _hit with a new wave of masked confusion._

_"Please elaborate." The model pressed gently._ _What was Jungwoo going on about? There was a serious frown on Lucas' face as he stared intently at the other who took a deep breath. Jungwoo felt shame wash over him before opening his mouth again._

_"I'm a highkey perv, and I first found you through an ad about fucking lotion that you were half naked in and jacked off to it. Since then I've been following your social media. Which I know is damn creepy and kinda gross. Plus I don't really know how to express myself and insulted you because I've been wanting you to fuck me into oblivion since day one. It was so unexpected when you actually responded! So my old roommate found out and told me he'd get me laid. To do that, he texted you through me confessing to you about my feelings that weren't necessarily accurate._

_I didn't love you. I still don't know if I do, I just know I really, really like you. So sorry for making you uncomfortable with me drawing you for my project and I really wanna be friends. I know you're busy with your life and career and I understand that a friend is all I can be to you-"_ _Jungwoo couldn't stop himself from throwing up words, he hadn't even taken a breath throughout his own exposing speech  done by his own mouth. Luckily his uncontrollable word vomit was stopped by none other than the gorgeous model himself._

_Lucas had reached forward and slipped his palms up to the soft skin of Jungwoo's cheeks, he cradled the art student's face in his large warm hands._ _Jungwoo's heart was tight in his stomach, he was frozen._ _He lifted his head and gazed into the model's brown crystal vision, Lucas was smiling sweetly. Gently running his thumb underneath Jungwoo's ridiculously widened eyes, heat swam in the art student's chest._

_"I knew you were cute..." Lucas whispered, the sweet smile still stretched at his lips, now his cheeks sporting a slight tint of red. Lucas' sentence trailed off a little as his eyes got distracted scanning Jungwoo's gorgeous face before he picked up again, leaning closer and closer until he was only a breath away. "But not this cute." Lucas' breath fanned Jungwoo's redden face, the other felt his lungs hitch, not taking his eyes off the model. And in that minute, Lucas closed the gap between them. The warmth grew on Jungwoo's lips as Lucas had pressed his into them._

_His lips were so soft and warm, his scent of peaches and honey invaded Jungwoo's senses. Stings flared from the intimacy that burned between the two, Lucas beginning to mold and melt into Jungwoo. The model let his hands fall from Jungwoo's face to cautiously to rest at Jungwoo's hips, making it easier for him to back the shorter up against the counter of the kitchen. Only limiting the space in between them further. Their bodies molded into one another's in flushed heat. Jungwoo's wide eyes had been slow drooping and were now closed. The art student breathing and tasting everything Lucas was throwing at him._

_The kiss was once tender but now grew careless and rough. Jungwoo kissed back sweet harshness into his movement. His pulsing hand not leaving the place underneath the faucet, and the other, left numbly at his side. Lucas proceeded to bring up one of his hands from Jungwoo's hips back to his face before settling it at the nape of his neck and pushing Jungwoo forward deeper into their heated kiss._

_The model nipped at Jungwoo's swollen bottom lip, and the dazed art student let him. The taller didn't waste time in letting his hot tongue invade Jungwoo's mouth once the shorter had parted his lips with a taste of loveliness._ _They were both drowning._


	20. @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

_It was around 10 on a Sunday morning when Jungwoo and Lucas' heated make out session didn't seem to be put to a halt just yet. In a span of 30 seconds Lucas had slid his strong arms fully around Jungwoo's thin waist and had hiked him up on the kitchen counter. Fitting in between the art student's legs as he spread them as they continued to be sucked into each other's everything. Jungwoo was letting out small moans into Lucas' lips every now and then, the model couldn't seem to hold himself back._

_Lucas' hair was now messy and damp, Jungwoo threaded his fingers through the other's locks with his numb and injured hand soaked. The model's dirty blonde strands being played around with so many times through out the whole face eating ceremony that two where participating in, and still actively were._

_And both of them_ _would've gone farther, way farther, if it hadn't been for the obnoxious knock at the door. Jungwoo groaned, from frustration and from the feeling Lucas gave him, now_   _buried_ _in the crook of his neck planting a bright red hickey on his numb skin. Jungwoo might've halted his little moans but Lucas kept at his task to cover ever inch of Jungwoo's hotly glistening neck with bruising hickeys. Jungwoo bit his bottom lip glancing down the best he could at Lucas who pressed harder into his neck, finding a spot on his skin that made the art student's pants tighten and that drove him further into feverish heat._

_"H-hey..." Jungwoo panted, removing one of his arms from the model's neck and sliding one hand them in between their chests, pulling back. They met eyes and Jungwoo felt like dropping on his knees. Lucas was also panting, sweat collecting at his forehead with a hooded expression. Does lustful eyes that drilled holes into Jungwoo. The art student hadn't ever felt so turned on before. Lucas scanned Jungwoo's face, and the art student felt his chest tighten in bliss at the warmth those eyes held as they slow started to near each, the tips of their nose brushing against one another._

_But of course there was another knock, Jungwoo groaned loudly. Pushing away again and putting a bigger distance between them. His eyes roamed Lucas' features and h_ _e swallowed once they landed on the model's parted red lips that he wanted to continue to devour but held himself back. He cleared his throat, his eyes wandering to a random place in the kitchen._ _"It's the movers." Jungwoo managed lowly, the voice in the back of his head telling him to consider the temptation again._

_The art student was now subconsciously fiddling with the hair at the model's nape with the arm that had been so kindly left completely wrapped around the other's neck. The sensation of Jungwoo messing with the dyed strands was not helping either of them in their attempt of resistance. Lucas' panting slowed down and he swallowed hard, nodding wordlessly. Not trusting himself with words. Lustful adrenaline was still thick in his veins so he tried to mentally calm himself without speech._

_The model stepped out from in between Jungwoo's opened legs that dangled. He watched them close as Jungwoo hopped off the counter, his feet landing on the cold tiles. Lucas looked away bashfully,  Jungwoo began to fix himself. Aside from the freshly pink marks scattering the skin on his neck and collar bones and his slightly dilated eyes, Jungwoo's hair was swooped to different sides, adding to his utterly disheveled look. Even his tee had begun to ride up. The model bit at his lips, the lust diminishing and replaced an odd sense of shyness that wasn't common  for him. Lucas breathed in glanced the male beside as he moved around._

_With that glanced the model had gotten a peek for Jungwoo's flat stomach and wanted nothing more but see everything else. Lucas blinked rapidly and looked away again, red at his ears. These feelings were too sudden, both of them knew so. This was all fueled by pure lust that took over them, they were both more sober now since their 20 minute high from before. They were more aware of each other. Jungwoo sighed at another knock that was harder this time before he threw a slightly awkward smile to the model, Lucas noticed and returned it, just as forced. Why was it awkward again?_

_Jungwoo walked past the model, Lucas letting his eyes follow Jungwoo disappear into the foyer for a few minutes. Lucas exhaled deeply. Replaying the feeling of his fingers skimming Jungwoo's hotly bare skin, the images of going further shot a shiver up the model's back as he moved his arms to_ _cross_ _his chest. Swaying and turning in one place, hoping to rid the erotic images of, as Jungwoo had put it early, 'bounding into his ass.'_

_Jungwoo had been making Lucas a mess, of course not to the art student's acknowledgement. Lucas knew that he had a responsibility with his career. He liked modeling, he didn't love it. Not how he loved engineering or how he even liked Jungwoo. Lucas had realized that after a while, his modeling career became more of a chore. People would, more often than not, say he had the easiest job on the planet. All he had to do was sit there and look pretty. But it's different when it's a pressure to be 'pretty.'_

_Lucas sometimes found himself feeling more ugly than anything. The ideals of modeling, the diets, the expectations, and lack of authenticity. Everything was beginning to choke Lucas._ _Everything_ _had been suffocating him since a long time ago, but it was only now that he was actually considering the chance of dropping his modeling career to pursue a new one. But of course, something had to stop him. His fear of disappointment. No, his fear of being more of the disappointment than he already subconsciously thought of he was._

_Lucas swallowed hard, his mind foggy, now not from his pervious lust. From worry, from insecurities. How many people would stop loving him? Would Jungwoo be one of them to leave? Lucas didn't want to think about it anymore._ _Lucas began to walk in a little circle now as he heard the muffled conversation between Jungwoo and another voice._

_Lucas only listened into the distorted chatter for a few seconds before he heard the door click shut and foot steps begin to emerge. Jungwoo walked out of the foyer with his face just a little red, his hands on his neck trying to cover the marks Lucas had left behind. The model stared at Jungwoo who gulped before opening his mouth._

_"That was the guy with the truck for my moving." Jungwoo started, "he just wanted to make sure someone was home before he parked in the reserved parking spaces." Lucas nodded in understand. His stomach turning at the uncomfortable silence that dawned them again._ _Jungwoo feeling just as jittery to the atmosphere. It didn't matter if they had kissed or made out, neither of them knew what they were or what they wanted to be. Everything was so confusing for both of them, mostly because neither of them knew how to take the real first step._


	21. @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

_With boxes in his arms and at his chest, the model lugged from Jungwoo's bedroom and back. With the art student not so subtly shooting him side eyes every time he appeared in the living room to set down another round of boxes. While glancing at the model Jungwoo was trying to seem busy as he placed the rest of the silver wear, plates and cups, that were left behind by his old roommates, in a box on the counter. Lucas was too dense and hadn't notice the way that Jungwoo's eyes couldn't seem to detach themselves from the slight limp the model dragged behind him as he carried on with his work. It was his left leg, the one he had so soothingly massaging underneath the table at the cafe. Had Lucas lied to him about the incident at the airport? Was it more than just a scrape? Jungwoo felt guilt sink in, was he really making an injured person carry his damn boxes?_

_It was only a matter a time before Jungwoo found himself clearing his throat as Lucas emerged from the hallway with another box. Once the taller had set the box on the floor near the rest, he stood up straight and turned to Jungwoo who was now walking towards him with his hands at his side, fiddling with the pockets of his jeans._

_Jungwoo shuffled over and bit his bottom lip, suddenly getting bashful after all they've done. It wasn't that either of them didn't notice the oddly stiff air, but just chose to ignore it. Jungwoo inhaled, now standing in front of a curiously waiting Lucas. Jungwoo was sick of this atmosphere. The art student thought it through, fixed his posture and cranked his neck up to look Lucas straight in his absorbing eyes. A hard trained expression was forming on Jungwoo's cute face._

_"Okay, look big guy," Jungwoo started, "I'm so over this whole beating around bush bullshit. It's been a whole hour and a half and we still haven't even talked about whatever the fuck is going on," Jungwoo paused to take a much needed gulp before motioning his index finger between the two of them, "here. Is this a thing or not?? You keep calling me cute and all this dumb shit but I don't see you saying anything else. I know I'm not really one to talk either, because I've also only been flapping my lips and not taking any action so-" his sentence was cut, Lucas had managed shut up the chatter box that Jungwoo sometimes was by moving forward. He reached his hands out to take Jungwoo's tinted red face into his palms_ _in a matter seconds. The_ _entirety of Jungwoo's speech had been lost just as his train of thought was to Lucas peering down at him so lovingly._

_Lucas had the dumbest smile forming on his lips, tints of red at the corners of his eyes from his cutely wrinkled smile._ _The model now_ _wanted to kiss the rosy cheeked Jungwoo more than before. He wanted everything he saw in front of him. With Lucas placing his big palms on the sides of Jungwoo's face, the shorter had his lips parted from his halted sentence. He pressed said lips together for a few thinking seconds, now that his train of rationality had returned. Jungwoo brought his hands from his side and wrapped both of his set of his fingers around Lucas' wrists on either sides of his face and moved the model's palms so there was a gap in between his own skin. The model frowned at the serious expression on Jungwoo's face that had just appeared. Taking a hold of his wrists gave the shorter the power to stop the model from taking him down another emotional and physical roller coaster. It was obvious Lucas was more of a taking action type of guy, but what Jungwoo had in mind needed to be said._

_Jungwoo stared directly at the curious expression was painted with a frown on Lucas' face. The art student still held onto Lucas' much bigger wrists. Lucas' hands hovered above Jungwoo's cheeks for a few seconds. The shorter brought the hands down to the space in between the two and took them properly in his own. His eyes drilled into the model who was waiting for words to come out of Jungwoo's well rounded lips._

_"Let's date." Jungwoo exhaled. neither said a word for a good 5 seconds. It wasn't that surprising. The sudden suggestion. It wasn't really sudden either. But either way it had felt like something had been shattered. The atmosphere wasn't necessarily negative in a way, everything was somehow exposed. Out in the open, as if it couldn't be more so. Jungwoo had been dancing around the idea, they've held hands, made out and Jungwoo outed himself as giant_ _prev_ _, this was the only logical step to take between their relationship._

_Lucas visibly paused his thoughts, looking blankly at the shorter in front of him. Jungwoo felt his stomach turn. He tried to push away the little voice in the back of his head whispering discouraging words. Lucas was slow in a social way, which Jungwoo understood. Lucas was a model, he didn't have time to understand social_ _do's_ _and_ _don't's_ _, if you could call them that. He didn't have the experience of being socially aware in a sense, not face to face at least._

_Lucas' lips parted, his eyes slightly bigger and the red at the tips of his cheeks more marooned. The model's heart thundered in his rib cage, his much bigger palms feeling electrical in Jungwoo's hold. He din't know what else he expected, he was a very physical guy but he couldn't help feeling jittery feeling at the art student's cement words, strong and unmoving. Jungwoo stood still, determined. The art student, although seemingly calm and collected was trying his hardest to not throw himself at Lucas like he much wanted to, waiting for his response._

_"Okay." The model had muttered, the word rolling off his tongue. There was a weight lifted off his chest that he hadn't even notice was crushing him until it was gone._


	22. @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

_The two walked side by side to the foyer with boxes occupying their arms so they could move them to the open and waiting truck outside._ _Beforehand, Jungwoo spent around 15 minutes in the bathroom trying to cover up the hickeys left at his neck with the make up from that one time he tried drag and failed. Jungwoo had managed to decently hide the marks but his head had been too busy filled with thoughts of Lucas, or his boyfriend. After the confession the_ _model and the art student had decided to keep their hands strictly off each other until every box that belonged to Jungwoo was on that_ _uhaul_ _truck, ready to be driven to his new apartment. So as said, they had put their asses to it, already having most of the boxes settled in the metal storage on wheels._

_"Yeah, um by the way, I knew from the beginning that you called me an ugly ass noodle head." Lucas chuckled sheepishly beside him. Jungwoo froze in the foyer. "I'm actually really decent in Korean so it wasn't that hard to piece together the slang. I just wanted an excuse to talk to you more." Lucas stopped his steps and turned to face Jungwoo._

_The art student almost felt his jaw dislocate and the box he held in his arms almost drop to the floor. Jungwoo blinked twice, glancing at Lucas who gave him an innocent smile. As if he couldn't have gotten any redder in the model's presence, Jungwoo was scorching now in pure utter embarrassment. The shorter had been Lucas's boyfriend for a total of 30 minutes. The time had passed so quickly, with Lucas smiling so dumbly and Jungwoo only grinning even more idiotically in return._

_It had only been 30 minutes since the model, Lucas Wong, had officially become Kim Jungwoo's boyfriend. Jungwoo couldn't stop his chest from buzzing at the mere idea and now reality of it. The thumping of his heart had only picked up a few beats than it was already to the words that left Lucas' perky smile._ _The_ _30 minutes had been full of giddy giggles and playful nudges as they had both carried boxes out the apartment. But of course the the process had been put to a stop when Lucas opened his big cute mouth._

_"I officially hate you." Jungwoo exhaled in awe, now avoiding Lucas' gaze completely. He felt like a kettle boiling on a stove, he was deep red at his neck covered in foundation and the tips of ears. It was an odd time to be getting embarrassed even after how_ _handsy_ _they had gotten earlier. Not only was the art student sporting a deep red, he had been tainted in the light color of it this whole time from just the feeling of Lucas being near, of Lucas actually being his boyfriend._ _Jungwoo couldn't seem to get used to the word boyfriend being something he related to Lucas, it was weird. He hadn't really thought that they could even get this far._

_"I just felt like you had the right to know since you practically outed yourself early." Lucas bit at his lip, his beautiful smile not faltering. Jungwoo wanted to kiss that cheeky grin off his lips and steal Lucas' breathe like how he had done to Jungwoo before. Sucking everything out of the taller, emotions, tension and all. But of course he didn't, instead, after he had regained his composure, he snorted and walked off to the open door. Lucas being heard sneering behind him, knowing he had Jungwoo's tongue tied._

_They both exited the open front door and strolled over to the truck's open back that was low enough to reach the pavement of the parking space it sat in._ _The sun beat down on them as they set the boxes they brought to the back of the truck with the rest of the pile. Jungwoo wiped off the sweat that collected at his forehead. The art student huffed and leaned his weight on one of his legs with his hands placed at his hips. His full attention turned to the taller who glanced from the corner of his eye toward him. Lucas had been adjusting the box he had set down before straightening up to meet the stature of Jungwoo who waited patiently._

_"Since we're going to be honest here, answer me this," Jungwoo began, the back of his neck feeling damp with the sun shining down on it. Lucas squinted his eyes from the sun as he focused on Jungwoo's unwavering figure. Jungwoo extended out his hand with his index finger ready to point, and it pointed, down towards Lucas' legs. The model frowned, his eyes had following the movement of Jungwoo's hand. After seconds, the model looked up from his own legs, giving Jungwoo a slightly urged look to continue his sentence, which he did, "what's up with your left leg. I've noticed, you're not so subtle limping."_

_Lucas almost immediately gulped. The sweat that his skin bled felt sticky in the humid air that moved to the silent wind. He let out a shaky breathe before turning so his now new boyfriend had a view of his profile. He moved from facing the opening of the truck to having his back to lean on its stature._ _The model squinted up into the clear blue the sky held. Jungwoo's trained stare was not moving away from the male before him for a minute. In such a short time Lucas had really rubbed off his bad staring habit onto Jungwoo._

_If they were going to be in a relationship, Jungwoo wanted to start off with knowing things about the model. And Kim Jungwoo had a feeling that Lucas' efforts to not bringing up his knee meant it was important. Maybe it was too sudden but it was now too late to take it back and besides with Lucas leaning back on the open pulled up door, the model looked like he was willing to spill, and Jungwoo was more than just all ears._


	23. @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Because I promised Milky 3 chapters if she gave me her secret @, and she did so here

_13 year old Wong Yukhei was a sport fanatic. Well, at least that's what his father wanted him to be._

_**In the thin fabric of his shorts, his thighs tensed as Yukhei leaped over the hurtles in front of him one by one. His father watched him at the sideline of the tar track. The same sharp eyes, that Yukhei himself inherited, followed the paced child. Yukhei was told by many of how much he resembled his father, down to even his mannerisms.** _

**_Although, Yukhei_ ** _**begged to differ. His father was composed and calm, Yukhei was everything but. The only resemblance he ever saw between him and his father was their talent. Their talent at running full sprint on a steaming track in shorts and a jersey tank with their surnames on it. His father almost always went to his track practices, this one was important. They were close to the finals of the track season. Other than that, from when Lucas started at 9 years of age til now, his first year of middle school** _ **_, his_ ** _**father was always at the sidelines.** _

_**People described Yukhei as his father's pride. Yukhei felt a heavy weight crush him because he had to keep it that way and that's why there he was again, hopping over another hurled.** _

_**13 year old Yukhei swallowed, trying to hydrate his desert throat, his lungs bumping in his ribs. The boy glanced to his father as he had  finished another leap. The man he had known all his life stood in his usual tall demeanor, with his arms crossed, sunglasses sitting at the bridge of his nose and the wrinkles on his forehead creasing at Yukhei's diverted attention.** _

_**The sun was now scorching down on the black of the stripped track. Yukhei's skin dripped of sweat, his chest heavily rising and falling as he jumped the last hurled, or at least tried to. Half way through the air his ankle hooked at the plastic obstacle that ultimately took him down. His knee was first to feel the impact of the hard ground before Yukhei let himself fall on his side, his shoulder slamming just as carelessly into the track.** _

_**Yukhei's ears ringed, he couldn't hear anything, his head lolling. All his weight was at his ribs as he took a shaky breaths. Blackness spotting his vision, he cranked up his head to see multiple shoes run towards him, faint yelling and worried voices echoed. His sense of hearing tuning in and out like channels being switched on a vintage static TV. Yukhei felt sharp bangs hit him suddenly through his small frame, his knee pulsing and his shoulder buzzing with numbness.** _

_**Yukhei lifted his face from the track, ugly scratches decorating his cheek. His mouth was agape. With his torn and bleeding lip he groaned loudly now his shoulder feeling heavy and his knee throbbing intensely.** _

_**Yukhei was 13 years old when he shattered his shoulder blade and dislocated his knee** _ _**.** _

_***********_

_"I wanted to stay as my father's pride..."_   _Lucas had found himself trailing, his voice low. Jungwoo had nof met his sight and only stood next to him silently as he listened. Lucas exhaled, a bitter chuckle seeping through his lips as he peered up at the blue sky. "I was taken to the hospital and everything healed pretty well, my knee had to take a longer time to heal though. But as I said before I couldn't lose the place in my father's heart. So I lied, telling I was 100% able to run for the finals, pushed myself and added more trauma to my leg until I collapsed right there in the middle of the track during the finals. Now I have long term effects, if my knee is put through any slight trauma it aches to hell and back."  Yukhei finished._

_A cool breeze swept through the two of them who didn't dare to move, both staring aimlessly into the open metal truck now that Yukhei had diverted his attention away from the sky. Wind chimes sang softly at the gust of gentle dancing in the air that had lovingly freshened the stinging heat that resonated on the surface of their skin._

_The sun wasn't as relentless now, a small cloud was shielding them from a couple of rays, even though the sun was still bright behind it. The single cloud's efforts were appreciated by the two sweat ridden males._

_The chime's songs came to a silent stop, the bottom of Jungwoo's shoes scratched the surface of the pebbled sidewalk as he turned on his heels to fully face the taller be side him. The model had his vision to the ground the minute Jungwoo had made a sound to move. Lucas didn't want to look up. He was oddly afraid of something. He didn't want to be told that it didn't matter, he was handsome, all he needed was his face. He was sick of being told that, and only did he ever hear it from so many._

_Sometimes, Lucas would look into the mirror and want nothing to do with the person that looked back at him. But he was scared, he didn't want to lose the spot he already had in so many other's heart, because, then, he'd be just as useless as he was to his father when he had landed on his knee on that humid evening at the track behind his school._

_Jungwoo_ _audiably_ _exhaled and took long seconds to reach over, taking hold of Yukhei's motionless hand at his side. Yukhei felt a shiver scatter up his spine to the warmth that_ _radiated_ _from Jungwoo thin digits, his eyes darted from the ground down to the clasping of their palms. Yukhei's hands were more_ _noticeably bigger than Jungwoo's. Jungwoo tugged at his hold and comfortably laced their fingers together. The sweatiness of their palms not effecting the rather sweet atmosphere in the air, Yukhei felt his chest swell._

_The model lifted his gaze to meet Jungwoo's star filled eyes as a delicate and reassuring smile painted itself on the_ _shorter's_ _lips._

_"How about we finish this up?" Jungwoo swiftly changed the subject, tenderness in his vocals as he continued his lovely speech, "after we're done I'll treat you to something for your help, hm, Yukhei?"_

_Yukhei gave the korean male a bashful nod, causing a dumb smile to appear on Jungwoo's face._ _Their hands still very much comfortable in each others, neither of them planned to let go._


	24. @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

_It was 5 pm on a Sunday when Yukhei finally brought in the last box from the truck and places it on the carpeted floor of Jungwoo's new living room. It hadn't taken them long to climb the few flights of stairs from the entrance of the tall building, the elevator weren't working at that moment._

_The model heaved out a content sigh, lifting his head as he let his eyes to survey this new apartment. Jungwoo off in his bedroom already sorting through things._

_The new apartment wasn't as large or as well kept as Jungwoo's shared residence, it was true that Jungwoo had said it was a shit apartment. Yukhei didn't have to looking around the whole place to know that. The living room was a decent size with the balcony with sliding doors a good length across from the main entrance. There were no blinds shading the sliding doors so you had a clear view of the balcony._

_The railing was rusting and there were obvious thin pillars missing and the wooden floor of the balcony was an ugly black and green color with a tinge a sick brown. Yukhei felt worry sink in_ _his_ _stomach at the sight. The model let out a sudden huff before he turned to his right and started to walk down the small hallway that passed the kitchen. Just as he made to the entrance to the kitchen, Yukhei stopped_ _to_ _take a look. And to say that kitchen smelled like burnt plastic was an understatement._

 _From Yukhei's view_ ,  _he_ _top of the stove was pitch black, as if someone had set fire to the poor medal. The surrounding counters were_ _smudged_ _with dirt and all types of unknown_ _stains_ _. The sink was even worse, from it came ugly murmurs, scratching almost, as the water droplets fell from the faucet because it wasn't completely closed. Yukhei guessed the sink color was supposed to white but it was anything but. Even some of the cabinet doors were missing their handles or non existent all together._

 _Disgust_   _itch_   _at_ _the model's_ _face before he heard rustling from down the hallway to the only room. Jungwoo started unpacking as soon as he had gotten all the boxes for his room to his room. He was eager to get that at least done._

_Yukhei swallowed to the sound of another tearing box before he hurriedly walked the rest of the hallway in fear that some kind of unknown thing would pop out from the drain since the screech like noises wouldn't seize._

_Jungwoo had been right, this really was a shady neighbor, the man helping them with the moving of the boxes had left just as fast as he had arrived. On the ride there, people sauntered the streets nonchalantly, every now and then they would've passed a homeless person pushing around a_ _grocery_ _cart with random objects in them. There were many groups of men that glared at them through their windows as they innocently drove by. They all had dark eyes full of this intimidating aura. They looked like they were in gangs._

_Yukhei had felt his chest tighten to the idea of Jungwoo possibly being in danger there. When in front of the lobby ready to bring up the boxes, Yukhei had glanced at the other, and he could tell Jungwoo was filled with the same anxiety masked by a smile as he had lifted one of the boxes and started to take it up the stairs and into his apartment._

_But now the journey down the short hall came to an end and Wong Yukhei stood at the door way of Jungwoo's bed room. The model peeked in to only see the Korean male on the floor taking random objects out of boxes to see where the place them. His matress had been leaning on the wall in the corner of the room, he hadn't brought a bed stand not frame. To him, a matress was enough for now._

_Yukhei blinked before he loudly cleared his throat, trying to make himself known. Jungwoo jolted slightly, obviously too focused on the unpacking_ _to notice much of his surroundins. Jungwoo then_ _turned and met his gaze with Yukhei's. There was a short second pause of blank  stares before he grinned_ _blindingly_ _and_ _Yukhei_ _felt his heart stutter. That was his boyfriend._

 _"D-do you need help with anything else?" Yukhei mentally cursed at himself for getting oddly nervous at such a time. Maybe it was because in such an ugly apartment Yukhei couldn't help but notice Jungwoo's defining beauty even more or it could've been the_ _horrid_ _smell of the kitchen doing something to his brain processing. Either or seemed valid in his mind._

_"Yeah, um can you put all the boxes of kitchen supplies near the kitchen. I'm going to have to clean that place some other time, that shit is nasty." Jungwoo muttered the last sentence to himself as he finished unpacking another box and threw the empty and now folded cardboard across the room where a pile of folded boxes laid._

_"I swear to god something lives in that fucking sink." Yukhei breathed out before turning on his heels to do as he was told. He could hear Jungwoo groaning aloud as he exited the door way._

_"Why did you have to say that." Jungwoo whined. Yukhei could tell Jungwoo was pouting in his bed room as a playful grin made it's way to Yukhei's face. The model still making his way to the living room to search for the box labeled kitchen. Yukhei's eyes wandered up and around the boxes stacked on top of each other even through the ones just laying around_ _looking for brightly written letters that spelled out kitchen._

_Yukhei frowned and approached one of the piles near a corner before he started lifting each box. He kept on with that process one he got to the bottom one as reading the words and only let out a sigh in reply to no sight of the word kitchen. Defeated and with no boxes left in that pile living in the corner, he turned and reached for the boxes he had set aside to stack pile up again. This time when he lifted one of the boxes, he felt a high pitched squeak run up his throat and out of his mouth to the sight of a 4 legged ugly and slimy brown roach that scurried to hide behind another mini tower. Jungwoo's place was disgusting. Yukhei had come to that conclusion._


	25. @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

_"Cheers?" Jungwoo grinned. Yukhei returned the smile, not letting a second pass by as he let the aluminum can of his beer connect with Jungwoo's. The sun was setting again._

_It was only a few minutes before, that Jungwoo had almost given Yukhei a heart attack when the art student had so bravely placed foot on the unsturdy and kind of molding wooden planks of the floor belonging to the balcony. With his eyes bugged, the model had let out an exaggerated and relieved sigh when the thing hadn't caved in under Jungwoo's feet. Yukhei himself even had his big palm securely around Jungwoo's forearm to pull him back if anything had happened_ _but nothing did, so he was glad._

_The idea of offering the art student a place to stay was evidently speaking in whisper in the back of Yukhei's mind. Of course he couldn't ask right away, I mean they had just started dating and Jungwoo had just gotten the apartment. The model would be lying to himself if he were to say that he wasn't worried about his boyfriend's well being. He wasn't going to push it though. So he left those whispers as whispers chattering away behind his ears._

_Despite the environment that disgusted the two of them, they were now both_ _sitting comfortably on the not so stable planks nonetheless. Jungwoo's legs dangled on the edge of the balcony, his thin limbs fitting in between the small gaps of the rackety railing and the horizontal planks._

_Neither of them were anywhere near done fixing the place up, Jungwoo had yet to clean that_ _horrifying_ _thing that was supposed to be the sink along with the mysterious stains that were found randomly on the carpet. The two were to exhausted from all the moving around for the day and Jungwoo had suggested to get a few drinks in, asking first if Yukhei was lightweight, which he wasn't. Jungwoo didn't want to have to lug his boyfriend's tree stature around if Yukhei were to pass out._

_The cold breeze blew through them as they both dreamily stared at the sun who hid behind the earth, leaving behind a gorgeous mixture of colors in the darkening sky like the day before, birds were whispering now. Very few of them flying across from the couple of trees that crowded other near by apartment buildings. Jungwoo felt a shiver run up his spine, the cold pinching at his skin, but it felt refreshing, so he didn't complain._

_"Where even is that convince store you were talking about anyway?" Yukhei inquired randomly. Jungwoo glanced at the male who's eyes didn't tear away from the setting of the sun._

_"It's not too far, maybe a 10 minute walk? It's called_   _GS25_ _." Jungwoo replied, his eyes returning to the sun as he raised the beer can to his lips, he took a long swig at the end of his sentence._

_Yukhei peeked at his boyfriend_ _briefly_ _, taking in the gorgeous profile that was displayed from his angle. The model's heart stuttered dumbly in his chest before the model himself blinked a couple of times as he returned his eyes to the sky. The sky in front of them was now a dark blue beginning to fully consume the rest of the warm colored sunset._

_"When are you starting?" Yukhei continued to press. This time when Jungwoo looked beside him, his eyes lingered longer on Yukhei than before._

_"This Tuesday..." Jungwoo trailed, his eyes on Yukhei's breathtaking side view._

_Yukhei was very much aware of the art student's shameless staring but didn't want to lose his control and take Jungwoo right then and there, he knew if turned to face him, he might just do it. Yukhei had started to feel that type of way again. He wasn't sure if this balcony could handle so much ruckus anyway. "Are you worried?" Jungwoo asked, a hint of amusement threading his delicate vocals. Yukhei scoffed, as if it was the stupidest question, which, to him, it was._

_"You're now living in a shady ass neighborhood with a high crime rate. As your boyfriend, how am I supposed to NOT get worried?" Yukhei meant for it to come out_ _sternly_ _, for Jungwoo to understand that his safety came first and to stay out of trouble but instead his vocals betrayed him and he sounded like a 5 year old pouting. His bottom lip slightly jutted out, Jungwoo felt his heart turn._

_"Wong Yukhei." Jungwoo spoke, "unless you wanna get kissed, you better fix that face." The art student cleared his throat, his eyes going back to the sky, now that it was a pitch dark navy that reminded him of a silk blanket. Jungwoo felt his face burn a little at the small chuckle that escaped the taller beside him._

_"What's stopping you?" Yukhei challenged. Jungwoo huffed from beside him. Finally making up his mind_ _. With_ _a roll of his eyes it had only taken a few seconds for Jungwoo to set aside his can near him on the discolored planks. Jungwoo scooted closer to his boyfriend._

_Yukhei only had a few seconds to get a distanced look at the Korean male beside him before he felt small and pinching cold hands grasp the sides of his face as they pulled him to directly meet eyes with familiar flawless eyes._ _Their faces only less that a inches apart._

_Jungwoo's brows were creased in cute concentration as he pulled Yukhei in all the way until their lips brushed against each other. Yukhei's hands hadn't moved, letting Jungwoo do what he wanted for the time being. The peck was brief, Jungwoo pulled back a little, his cheeks just as rosy as Yukhei's who tried not to smile too hard, Jungwoo still 'concentrating.'_

_The korean male himself wasn't satisfied with just one peck though. So Jungwoo dove back in and started placing random pecks anywhere he could on Yukhei's face. His lips brushed the other's again before they went to_ _hi_ _s_ _left cheek, his right then the tip of his nose, even his chin. All the while Yukhei felt laughter bubble at his throat and escape his now parted lips as Jungwoo busied himself trying to_ _tilt_ _the taller's head down so he could reach his forehead easier in that sitting position._

_Their bodies had gradually gotten closer and the distance between Jungwoo and Yukhei was minimal. Jungwoo was practically in Yukhei's lap now, retracing in his pecks, going back to the previous places he had kissed, Yukhei was still laughing._

_The taller finally moved his hand and gripped one of Jungwoo's wrists, wrapping his fingers around the_ _thinness_ _of it just as Jungwoo placed a delicate kiss right on the outer corner of Yukhei's left eye. Jungwoo then suddenly went back to his lips and gave him another peck, this one longer than the others but once he pulled back he kept the distance. It was utterly silent, Jungwoo nos deeply staring into the brown of Yukhei's eyes. This led the taller to just further drown into his emotions for the man in front of him._

_With lips parted and tongue ready to say something, Yukhei was conveniently interrupted by the sound of a familiar ring tone. Both_ _of_ _them glanced at their phones they had left not too far from where they sat on the floor of the balcony. Yukhei's phone was the one singing. The screen was bright, the ID read:_ **Manager Moon Taeil.**

_Yukhei heaved a sigh, reluctantly detaching Jungwoo's palms from the sides of his face as he reached back for his phone. The art student's eyes following him silently as he did so. With the phone still_ _going_ _, Yukhei finally had it in his grasp and proceeded to press answer on the device, bringing it up to his ear._

_"Hello?"_

_"Yukhei!! I've been texting you for the last 20 minutes!!" Taeil's voice rang through the line loudly, Yukhei's brow creased as he pulled the phone away from his ear a few inches due to Taeil's unnecessary falsetto._

_"....sorry." He replied once he brought back the phone in speaking distance again. Jungwoo's eyes not once leaving Yukhei as the model waited for an answer from the other line. There was a sigh._

_"Whatever. Please just send us your address so me and Mark can come pick you up. You have a plane to catch in the morning." Taeil explained, Yukhei frowned._

_"You're letting Mark drive?" Yukhei inquired, unsure._ _Jungwoo frowned at the unfamiliar name._

_"Mr. Soo is out sick and Mark wants to practice." Taeil reasoned, another voice was heard through the call, faintly. Yukhei guessed it was Mark._

_Mark Lee was an actor in the making at the Zhang agency. Yukhei was close to a lot of the trainees at his company, Zhong Chenle, Huang Renjun and Mark Lee were his closets friend there. They all still attended their local high school and just spent their study hours training in the many studios that belonged to the agency. Yukhei had noticed he got along better with the_ _high schoolers_ _. He_ _didn't mind though, they were cute and fun to talk to._

_Renjun and Chenle had both came all the way from China to Korea for different reasons, Renjun wanted to be a professional ballet dancer, even wanted to be part of the Olympics one day while Chenle wanted to pursue a career as an idol. The Zhang agency was a trustworthy company, they always cared for their trainees and artists, whether they were actors, idols or in a sport that involved one of the Fine Arts._

_As for Mark_ _Lee driving, the actor had just turned 17 and had just gotten his license a few months ago. At the agency, Yukhei would hear him begging Taeil to ask their CEO, Zhang Yixing, if he could drive them places instead of the_ _chauffeur_   _once_ _in a while_ _. Taeil never asked though, maybe this time he had? Yukhei didn't know, he just knew that his blissful time was cut short_ _and that he'd probably have to explain everything to Jungwoo_ _later._


	26. @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

_Laying on his back as he twisted and turned on his mattress is where Jungwoo found himself at 3 in the morning. He felt anxiety eat at him, the room was dimly lit by the_ _moonlight's_ _soft rays that bled through the window._

_The Korean grunted into the fabric of his pillow, now that he had twisted and turned to lay on his stomach. He further proceeded to smother himself with the plushness. He was lucky he didn't havd any classes that Monday. The art student wasn't too surprised that it was hard for his body to find rest, what he hated more than anything was to be alone. Jungwoo forced himself to swallow the dryness that stung in his throat as he breathed in the warm air through his pillow._

_Anxiety didn't stop itself from running cold through his veins._ _Frustration expanded in between his ribs._ _Jungwoo_ _felt tears well up at his eyes seamlessly. The art stsudnet gritted his teeth to keep the sobs in his dry throat at bay. He blinked them away into the fabric the smushed up at his face before he lifted his head, and sniffled to make sure his nose wasn't running. If he wasn't going to sleep the least he could do was do something productive instead of bawling his eyes out._

_Jungwoo began to lift himself from his bed, sitting up on the mattress with his legs crossed underneath him, he wiped his face harshly for any stray tears. He wanted so badly call Yukhei, but he knew that the model had a packed schedule next week. He knew he'd only be of disturbance so he kept his phone an arms length away on carpet near his bed._

_It was ironically funny to him, just when they had gotten together and actually exchanged real phone numbers, the timing of all of this was perfect._

_Jungwoo huffed, letting his hands now fall at his lap from all the intense rubbing of his face. His cheeks probably damp with smeared and dried tears, his skin blotchy from the_ _rashy_   _touches_.  **Productive**.  _Jungwoo thought, there in the dark. He could clean the sink? Jungwoo shook his head to himself. That was too risky, Yukhei might've been right._

_The weird noises had only died down from the metal pipes down the drain but never really came to a stop. There really could be something living down there. And Jungwoo wasn't so brave that morning togo and find out so he thought of another productive thing to do._

_Had he taken out the trash? Jungwoo's brows raised, thinking hard and retracing his steps from earlier. He hadn't. Jungwoo then shrugged his shoulders to no one but himself in the dark room and reached over to the side of the mattress where he had plugged in a small desk lamp and switched on the dollar store contraption._

_The room now lighting up with an ugly color. Some clothes were on top of boxes and some boxes were untouched. Jungwoo thought to himself that after taking out the trash he would most definitely fix up his new closet since he didn't have the time when his boyfriend was there._

_All he wanted to then was give Yukhei all his attention. It was still weird calling him his boyfriend, it made sense, they had only started dating less than 48 hours ago. Even if they had been talking for more than 2 weeks now, the oddness of the whole thing hadn't seem to wear off just yet._

_Kim Jungwoo really had the model Wong Yukhei to call his boyfriend. Jungwoo didn't wanna think about it too much, he knew his mind would wander and only fuel his_ _anxiety once it started feeding into his negative thoughts._

 _Jungwoo lifted himself off the mattress from his sitting position. Letting his feet land on the carpeted floor. His toes curled on the hard floor before he continued his hurried walk to his door. When he finally reached the knob he turned it and opened the_ _noisy_ _thing on it's hinges._

 _He slipped behind the door and out of his bedroom to the hollow and rather dark_ _hallway_ _ahead of him, the scratchy noises faint from the kitchen echoed through the walls._

 _Jungwoo felt a shiver thread up his spine, the air vents now making a nosie too,_ _indicating_ _the air conditioning had just turned on. Jungwoo gulped and let his arms fall at his sides, his shoulders drawn up to his neck tightly as he skittishly felt up the walls for the light switch of the hallway._

_His fingers luckily didn't take too long scimming over the patchy white walls before they came in contact with the plastic base of the switch. Jungwoo flipped the small and less then sturdy lever and watched the hallway lights lazily flicker on, the space now a sickening yellow color from the long lights on the ceiling._

_Jungwoo ignored the little voices in the back of his mind that told him to fuck it and scamper back to the safety of his room. This was his apartment now, he had to get used to it. He even made a mental note to buy light saving lamps so he could have the lights on at all times, if he were to have the lights on all night long that'd hike up his bills and Jungwoo couldn't have that, even if he was starting his full time shift at the convenience store._

_All of this was only temporary._ _One day he'd focus on his art and will be able to sell just as much as he wanted. Jungwoo was beginning to feel this sense of responsibility. And that wasn't necessarily a bad thing._


	27. @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

_For Jungwoo to say he wasn't afraid of his own apartment would be the biggest lie to ever slip past his lips. Sure, he wasn't terrified but any normal person would be afraid of the constant odd noise that emerged from the sink._

_Which is why Jungwoo had switched the light on in the said kitchen. The art student let his eyes race over ever inch of the kitchen that he told himself he'd clean later that week. He searched for the garbage bag that he had asked Yukhei to tie up and place somewhere before the model had left. His eyes didn't wander long and landed on the stretched out white plastic bag near the fridge._

_Jungwoo hurried across the kitchen, his feet hitting the cold tiles as he ran, to the corner to wear the plastic bag leaned on one of the cabinets. The kitchen and the bathroom were the only places in his apartment with tiles instead of carpet._

_Finally reaching the garbage, his thin fingers gripped onto the red strings that came out of the plastic. Jungwoo hoisted the bag up and over his shoulder, too busy trying to get in and out of the kitchen as fast as possible to complain about the odd feeling of the tiles. It only took a few seconds and he was back in the hallway with the plastic bag now hanging over his shoulder._

_He let out a sigh of relief before he glanced at the sink that continued to grumble. Jungwoo flinched at the thought of something living in one of those metal pipes. The art student closed his eyes as if to erase the mental images quickly before he let himself finally walk past the entrance of the kitchen. It was connected to the hallway of course, he scurried far enough to where was in the living room instead. The front door now being across from his left._

_Tightening his grip on the strap from the_ _pl_ _astic_ _bag that he had moved down to his side, Jungwoo walked over to the door and unlocked it before turning the knob and opening it._

 _Once opened, Jungwoo peeked his head out. The small like hallway was utterly wordless, the art student eyed the stretched hall that went down from his left and right with other apartment doors beside his own and in front of his own. The hissing and_ _rustling_ _sound of bugs from the windows at each end of the hallway were heard, the elevators also stood at those ends next to a stairs case. The long strips of lights that were attached to the ceiling flickered randomly with sparking sounds, some giving out mid way._

_Jungwoo swallowed hard, this hallway hadn't seemed as intimidating while Yukhei had helped him move. Now that he stuck his head out from his door way, Jungwoo felt like if he were to even step foot in that hallway it'd eat him whole. Maybe he should just take out the trash tomorrow. Jungwoo agreed to himself  at the thought, his life was more important than his clean freak tendencies. He nodded to no one and was about to slide back behind the door when there was a large crash at the right end of  hallway._

_Jungwoo jolted, he felt the hair on his arms stand to their ends as his toes curled. His eyes bugged out and he dashed in backwards, closing the door loudly and rather quickly before switching on the lock with his shaking fingers just as fast. His heart sent buzzing alarms all over his body. The art student could feel his lungs squeeze as his body leaned against the back of his door for support from the scare that left his legs feeling like jelly._ _He slumped further on the wood, his eyes now shut._

 _Silent and moveless seconds passed, the thundering of his heart and the shallow intakes of breath being the only things that rang in his ears. The rabid organ in chest being to slowly sooth istself into a regular beat. No sounds emerged from behind the wood of his door. Jungwoo gulped. Feeling his tense shoulders sag further at the_ _wordless_ _atmosphere. His grip at the garbage bag, that hung at his legs, burning tight_

 _Ironically, just when his let out his first full breath that had been trapped in his lungs through all the_ _q_ _uick_ _ones, there was a hard and honestly starling to bone bang heard right outside his door. Jungwoo's eyes stung now with from all these times they've almost felt like falling out, he could feel the bang vibrate his door and cold ran through his veins._

_The art student pulled back abruptly back from the door to only fall like a rag doll on his ass at the bang. The garbage bag had been long forgetten and left by the door instead of at his side. Jungwoo stared at his door, bringing himself up to lean on the palm of his outstretched hands thatnow gripped at his carpet. The bang had come from something or even someone being backed up directly on his door._

_Jungwoo's eyes got bigger to the sight of his door rattle again. The Korean male felt a noise travel up his throat but quickly covered his lips with one of his palms, limiting the sound of his_ _starlted_ _scream. His heart had stopped for a minute but was now going full speed. Jungwoo felt his breath being choked at what he heard next._

_"Why are there more of you, honestly?" A baritone and scratchy voice growled from Jungwoo's door. There was a gasp of air and someone was scrambling on the art student's door. Was someone being held up against it? Jungwoo felt his heart now stop as more choking and gasping sounds were heard. "Huh?" The voice further hissed._

_"_ _Hansol_ _,_ _calm down." Someone else faintly called, footsteps were heard getting closer to Jungwoo's door. The Korean male never once ripping away from his door with his saucer eyes. The baritone voice scoffed and there was a thud at the floor in front of the door._

 _"Shut the fuck up Jaehyun, stop letting the whole 'I'm second in command' get to your head, just cause of your new little status doesn't mean you suddenly have authority over anyone." The voice, Jungwoo had guessed belonged to a man_ _named_ _Hansol_ _,_ _snarled._

_"I'm pretty sure that's exactly what that means." The other voice replied, calmness threading his words. There was a short period of silence. "Think before you staring having someone in a choke hold, you literally fucking slammed him into someone's door. You're gonna scare the neighbors. Again." There was a click of a tongue._

_"Fuck the neighbors."_

_"I don't think Taeyong is willing to bail your ass out again if you get the damn cops called on you this time, but I don't know maybe that's just me,"  The soft yet strong voice belonging to the male named Jaehyun reasoned._

_"Fuck off Jaehyun," Disgust was evident in his vocals "And you."_ _Hansol's_ _voice had become clearer. Jungwoo had guessed he was now directing his speech to whoever he had in a choke hold on his door. "Tell all your fucking stoner friends this isn't just some run down neighbor you guys can just come and infest with your drugs. This place is off limits, so if they bring that shit around here again we won't hesitate to beat you all to a bloody pulp." Jungwoo felt his heart pick up pace, as if it could, as he listened in. There was a pathetic whimper and then other rustling noises following a staggered and now fainting footsteps. It was quiet for a while again. Jungwoo could hear his heart in his ears._

_"No one lives here anymore, in case you forgot, Jae." The nickname was seemingly spat out._

_"Someone moved in today. They had some tall dude with a face mask helping him get shit up here earlier, I saw them." There was a scoff from_ _Hansol_ _. Footsteps were shuffled and the more Jungwoo listened in the more he noticed how they were getting farther and farther away._

 _"People still willingly rent this place out?"_ _Hansol's_ _voice was faintly heard before there was the sound of the elevator dinging and more footsteps echoed before the rackety metal doors of the elevator were heard being closed and it was utterly silent again. Jungwoo waited a couple of wordless seconds before he let his hand fall from his mouth that was now ajar in shock. What the fuck kind of neighbor had he moved into?_


	28. @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

**Monday, 5:35 AM**

 

**_junguwu: HOLY FUCK HOLY FUCK HOLY FUCK_ **

 

**_gaylegend: bitch it's almost 5 in the fucking morning_ **

 

**_gaylegend: wtf are you doing up_ **

 

**_junguwu: TEN_ **

 

**_gaylegend: yes?????_ **

 

**_junguwu: THERES A WHOLE ASS GANG HERE_ **

 

**_gaylegend: how much did you drink tonight sweetie?_ **

 

**_junguwu: IM NOT DRUNK_ **

 

**_junguwu: IVE BEEN TRYING TO SLEEP SINCE IT HAPPENED BUT THERE WERE TWO WHOLE ASS GANG MEMBERS FUCKING UP SOME DUDE RIGHT O N MY FUCKING DOOR_ **

 

**_gaylegend: WTF FR?????_ **

 

**_gaylegend: WAIT HOW TF DO YOU KNOW THEYRE PART OF A GANG_ **

 

_**junguwu: THEY WERE THREATENING TO BEAT SOME GUY'S STONER FRIENDS FOR BRINGING DRUGS INTO THIS PART, AND THEY TALKING AS IF THEY OWNED THE PLACE** _

 

**_gaylegend:_ ** **_UM_ **

 

**_junguwu: SHOULD I CALL THE COPS?????_ **

 

**_gaylegend: WHAT_ **

 

**_gaylegend: THAT WILL ONLY MAKE_ ** **_THINGS_ ** **_WORSE_ ** **_IF THERE'S A C T U A L L Y IS A GANG THERE_ **

 

**_junguwu: YO I'M FUCKING SCARED_ **

 

**_gaylegend: TELL YOUR BOY TOY WITH THE MONEY TO GET YOU A NEW PLACE_ **

 

**_gaylegend: HES A MODEL SO HE H A S TO BE ROLLING IN IT_ **

 

**_junguwu: I CANT FUCKING DO THAT WHEN WE JUST STARTED DATING LIKE????_ **

 

**_gaylegend: W A I T_ **

 

**_gaylegend: Y'ALL ARE D A T I N G NOW?????_ **

 

**_gaylegend: YOU ACTUALLY GOT THAT_ **

 

**_junguwu: IDK IF I SHOULD BE TAKING THAT AS A COMPLIMENT OR AN INSULT_ **

 

**_gaylegend: WHY TF DIDNT YOU TELL ME YOU FUCKING ASSHOLE ON A STICK_ **

 

**_gaylegend: THERE HAS TO BE A GANG FUCKING UP SOME DUDE AT YOUR DOOR FOR YOU TO TELL YOUR BEST FRIEND SOMETHING SO IMPORTANT????_ **

 

**_gaylegend: IM HURT_ **

 

**_junguwu: BITCH STFU YOU TRY LIVING IN THIS SHADY ASS PART OF THE CITY WHILE THERE'S SOMETHING REPRODUCING IN YOUR FUCKING SINK_ **

 

**_gaylegend: so that's how it be_ **

 

**_junguwu: that's e x a c t l y how it be_ **

 

_********_

  
_"This neighborhood really is shit." Ten grunted. Shaking off his shoes in the middle of the doorway with his head on the frame of it as he leaned his weight on it. A plastic bag dangled from Ten's fingers at his side while he hooked his free hand into the fabric of his shoes to slid them off easier. The said bag was full with cleaning supplies he had cheaply bought before having Johnny drive him there._

_Jungwoo rolled his marble eyes as he held the door open for the Thai boy who had just finished slipping off his vans. He walked in fully and tossed them behind the art student who still stood there gripping the door open._

_Jungwoo glanced past his shoulder to take a peek at the messily thrown shoes on the carpet and mentally shrugged his shoulders. His eyes went back to Ten to see his back as he further stepped into the art student's residence. The taller then closed the door behind him._

_Ten_ _let_ _his eyes wander the living room with huff before turning to Jungwoo who stood at the entrance waiting for another snarky comment. But the Thai boy's lips remained sealed. Instead, Ten's sharp and concentrated eyes then roamed Jungwoo who frowned curiously. His best friend looked him up and down before bringing his hand up to his mouth to stifle a chuckle._

_"What?" Jungwoo called once Ten began to turn away from him_ _, still swallowing his laughter with his back turned again._

_"You and your boyfriend move fast." Ten replied glancing over his shoulder to Jungwoo and pointed his own neck. A knowing smirk drew itself on Ten's mischievous features._

_Jungwoo stared at the other, still puzzled. Utter cluelessness for a total of 10 seconds before it dawned on him and the art student couldn't help the rush of blood that ran to his cheeks. His heart stung in embarrassment. Swiftly, Jungwoo brought up his hands to cover the hickeys on his neck. His lips opened and closed frantically as he tried to find the right words between stutters._

_Ten's playful grin grew and it was evident that he had another remark teasing remark laying in his tongue. Fortunately, for Jungwoo, Ten never got to piece the words together because the scratching noises that had become now noticable, echoed through the walls as they did at night._ _The sounds_ _immediately caught Ten's attention and wiped his smirk clean off. Now his soft features sported a concerned frown._

_By now Jungwoo was immune to such sounds. Jungwoo let Ten survey the rest of his living from where he stood, Ten took long slow strides towards the noise. Mean while korean male's eyes darting and he uncharacteristically fanned himself to cool down. He forced different thoughts into his mind, which usually never led to anything good. Such an action brought him to think of the previous night._

_The art student hadn't really gotten much sleep after the incident. He didn't know how he should've felt, at first he was terrified to the bone but now he felt like his life was slowly turning into entertainment for a larger audience. Jungwoo had laid in his bed, if you could really call it that, for hours with his eyes closed trying to let sleep consume him but all that did was led him through a endlessly tunnel of anxiety ridden assumptions. Aka, what_ _if's_ _._

_What if the gang wasn't a gang?_

_What if they were actually really friendly?_

_What if they were waiting for Jungwoo so they could get murder him for no good reason?_

_Thoughts of such nature couldn't stop plaguing Jungwoo's weak mind. Those hours of laying in bed, restless, hadn't helped either. It had only been a few minutes after Jungwoo had ended his conversation with Ten through text that night that he called the Thai boy. He would've texted the group chat that included him, Yuta and Ten but Yuta was busy with his own life. Jungwoo had seen the posts online. There were off traveling when Yuta had time._

_Jungwoo was lucky enough that Sicheng actually even offered to drive the art student to school when he could. Considering the his uni was now more than 20 minutes away. In conclusion, he didn't want to bug the couple any further. But of course, with Ten, one of his best friends, it was a different story. Through the call Jungwoo had begged the other to help him clean his apartment. Ten had mentioned he was planning a surprise visit anyway and said that he'd bring over some cleaning supplies once he got there._

_So there they were. It_ _was almost 8 in the morning now. Ten had his boyfriend drive his ass over so he could help Jungwoo with the cleaning of his apartment that was much needed it. Ten walked further, more than he already had, and explored the apartment. Jungwoo now semi cooled off and hot on his trails. The dancer cringed at the feeling of the slightly stale carpet underneath his feet through his socks. Ten bit his lips at the sight of the balcony through the sliding doors and felt a shiver run up his spine, it didn't seem like it could hold a feather._

_Ten continued to survey the apartment, now in the process of walking down the hallway, still not past the kitchen. He felt another crawl at his spine to the odd stains that marked the carpet and the white walls of the hall, stopping to glance at the entrance of the kitchen once he got there, the scratching noises had become much clearer._

_So, again, there they were, Jungwoo behind the Thai boy with slight bags under his eyes and with Ten trying not the throw up at the smell that drifted from the kitchen sink._ _A period of silence filled them, or at least they didn't speak. The sink hadn't stopped it's chatter. Jungwoo felt a headchae bite at his temples and he blinked. He should've at least taken a nap. Ten sighed and Jungwoo's ears perked at the sudden sound._

_"You're so lucky I love you Jungwoo." Ten breathed in deeply and almost gagged. Jungwoo nodded in reply despite still having Ten's back toward him, a soft sigh escaped his lips_ _._


	29. @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oof sorry I took so damn long to update. Haven't been feeling the greatest but here you go!!!

**Monday, 9:30** **am**

 **_Bbyboy_ ** _**♡** _ _**:** _ _**I miss you :(((** _

_**Noodlehead: it's really hard to resist you when youre this cute** _

_**Noodlehead** _ _**: it's like you want me take over that pilot seat and fly back over there** _

_**Bbyboy** _ _**♡** _ _**: and that would be a bad idea because????** _

_**Noodlehead** _ _**: once I land we can Skype** _

_**Bbyboy** _ _**♡** _ _**: flying that plane back sounds better tho** _

_**Bbyboy** _ _**♡** _ _**: how long are you gonna be in China anyway????** _

_**Noodlehead: about a week, the first few days I'm going to be filming for a variety show and the rest is for visiting my parents and helping them at the restaurant** _

_**Bbyboy** _ __**♡** _ _ _**: you did tell me they owned a Thai restaurant in Hong Kong** _

_**Bbyboy** _ __**♡** _ _ _**: you better bring me some shit back** _

_**Noodlehead: I will (~^з^)~** _

_**Bbyboy** _ ___**♡** _ _ _ __**: ew** _ _

_"Wow you guys really are dating." Ten had commented unexpectedly, Jungwoo jolted in the only piece of furniture in the apartment at the sudden voice that hovered over him. The Korean twisted in the_ _squeaky_ _wooden stool, that had been conveniently placed in the center of the living room to meet Ten._

_The Thai boy had leaned back from peering over Jungwoo's shoulder as the other turned. A careless look graced the shorter's face. Jungwoo eyed him, the grip on his phone tightened as he gave the Thai male a  shrug in response. Now that he had gotten a better look, Ten was leaning on his hips, an apron hugging his front and faint yellow rubber wash gloves firmly cover his hands that were occupied by sprays with name brands plastered on them. Jungwoo had almost forgot._

_The taller felt red paint his face in embarrassment, he was too caught up in texting Yukhei that he had so mindlessly_ _forgetten_ _about Ten, who in the meanwhile, had been sorting through the cleaning supplies he had brought in._

_Jungwoo swallowed and stood up from the stool, Ten nodded for him to follow as the Thai boy turned on his heels and made his way to the kitchen. The art student soon followed behind him. Jungwoo knew that he was the one who had called the other over to mainly help him clean the monstrosity that was his sink. But Jungwoo had gotten so distracted with his phone that he left Ten to fend for himself._

_They finally reached the site from where those faint scratching noises emerged, Jungwoo couldn't help but want to back out. The shorter stepped forward and fully into the kitchen before he glanced knowingly at a reluctant Jungwoo behind him._ _Ten stood in front of loud sink and perked his lips into a small pout as he began to part them._

 _"You're the one who wanted this." Ten sighed before he proceeded to bend down to the open cabinets underneath the sink. If Jungwoo were to peer over a little from where he stood, the sight of the sink's pipes and_ a _variety_ _of disinfectants and cleaners Ten had bought would come into view._

_The Thai boy reached in and picked up one of the sprays in his gloves and went back up the Jungwoo's level, kinda, before handing him the bottle. Jungwoo eyed it cautiously before letting his orbs wander to the innocently singing sink. Ten wasn't wrong._

_*********_

_"And cut!" The director's voice thundered. Yukhei let his shoulders slump in tiredness as make up artists flocked over to him like pigeons wanting food. He leaned back in comfort his chair. They began to fix his now kind of clammed up fringe and the smudges of his make up._

_Yukhei hadn't ever thought tha_ t  _variety shows_ _could be so tiring. He stirred back in the swivel chair with make up artists trying to retouch his foundation. He had sat in an office chair with an oval desk that ranged out widely in front of him, many other hosts and comedians on other sides of the huge desk also getting retouched._

_It had been a couple of hours since he last texted Jungwoo and almost an hour an half since the shoot had started. The set they had driven to was somewhere in the busy city in Hong Kong, Yukhei wasn't sure where exactly, the shoot was in a largely sized room, what seemed like dozens on big and bulky cameras surrounded the oval table and it's guest Yukhei had already forgotten the names of._

_Remembering their names was the least of Yukhei's worries at the moment, Jungwoo and him hadn't been able to Skype because the time zones were kinda off, who knew just an hour could be so hard to arrange around. Plus, his boyfriend had informed him of his old roomie that was going to help him clean out the sink that day, so they were both inherently busy. Either way, Yukhei had smiled dumbly down at his phone as he wished his boyfriend good luck. The model kept feeling his heart utterly fly every time he was reminded that they were dating. Yukhei couldn't wait to go back to Korea so he could spend more time with him._

_Fortunately, it hadn't taken long for Taeil  to catch up on the whole dating thing. This caused Yukhei to first handedly confess about their relationship, and, surprisingly so, there had been nothing in the contract he signed, almost 3 years ago, that said he was kept from dating. Of course, it would be to his benefit to keep it secret._

_He hadn't even come out to his parents let alone the entirety of his following. Taeil didn't mind his bisexuality, like his relationship with Jungwoo, neither did Zhang Yixing nor did any of the trainees. Yukhei had been glad that none of them seemed to mind. Something as simple as that hugged him in some sort of relief back in his early days before he got so big._

_Yukhei audibly sighed and closed his eyes, still having his make up fixed as he heard familiar foot steps near him. He peeked and saw Taeil in his normal fitted suit with a phone up to his ear, his eyes serious behind the thin glasses that sat on the bridge of his nose. Yukhei huffed and close his eyes again, almost drifting to sleep this time with the small chatter of the room in the back of his mind as images of what more dates with Jungwoo would be like played out through his shut eyes._

_"Yukhei.." Taeil's voice faintly called, Yukhei's nose scrunched at the sound of his name. The model frowned and  opened his eyes to the sight of a worried Taeil, the manager had his bottom lip in between his teeth and his eyes were wavering as he held the phone tightly in his grasp before reaching out for Yukhei to take it. The make up artists were long gone now, tending to others._

_Yukhei stared at the phone blankly before lifting his vision to his manager who couldn't meet his gaze. The model then took the phone that was handed to him and brought it up to his ear._

_"Hello?"_

_"Yukhei." Replied a rash voice._

_Yukhei finally felt it hit him with force. His skin grew colder to the familiar deepness of the voice through the line. The model clenched his hand that laid on his lap into a fist. With his jaw tensing and his brows creased slightly, he swallowed._

_"Father-"_

_"Don't bother coming." His father cut through his sentence. Yukhei tightened his fist, feeling his nails painfully dig into his palm. A headache began to bloom behind his eyes. The model inhaled in a shaky breath._

_"W-why?" Yukhei's vocals wavered pathetically, he had tried his best not to stutter but it was drowning him now. The tension. A hole in his chest was beginning to form and Yukhei was blinking rapidly, trying to rid his eyes of upcoming tears._ _H_ __is temples_ _ _ached_ _now._

 _"You're busy, with whatever you're busy with. We're busy, with the restaurant. It'll only get in the way." His father voiced, emotionless._ _There_ _was a moment of silence in between the lines. Yukhei could hear his heart race, and his anxiety ran shivers his spine_ _._

 _"Okay. Bye_ _." Yukhei managed out steadily. He brought the phone back and let his thumb, in speed, fly on the screen before quickly hung up. They both stood still, the chattering hadn't stopped, everything was just as it was supposed to be on the set that day. Yukhei set frozen, without expression, his chest now feeling numb, still holding tightly onto the phone. It was right in his palm as Taeil stared at him in concern._


	30. Not an update

I really didn't wanna come to this because I thought I'd be feeling better by now but everything is getting so stressful. I really don't wanna put this ff on hiatus so all I'll say is that the update this weekend might or might not be happen depending on how this week goes. I'm so sorry, I'm in a really stressful and unhappy moment in my life and I'm trying really hard to pull through. Nothing is happening, I'm just so under the weather for no reason. I hope you understand, I'll try to update this weekend. Just don't expect anything. I'm sorry.


	31. @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

_Jungwoo stared down at the wrinkled flyer in his hands with cocked eye brows as he heard Ten grunt in displeasure. The wind blew softly between them and the sun was occupied in clouds, saving them under decent shade. Jungwoo stood there at the entrance of the his apartment building, still eyeing the paper in his palms._

_There was a clattering sound of the trash bag being thrown in the dumpster he faced. Jungwoo lifted his eyes from the paper for the first time to see Ten's scrunched up nose as the Thai boy had let go of the trash bag his gloves hands had dragged out of the apartment building that after noon into the tall dumpster. Jungwoo still stood in the distance with a trash bag in one grip and his other hand holding onto the flyer that Ten had handed him and few minutes ago._

_After hours of hard work, they managed to finally clean out that horrifing sink. The process was anything but easy. While unscrewing the rusting  pipes they had out that one of the tunnels was a nesting home for roaches. It would've been hilarious to have their reactions of tape, Ten screamed in full falsetto and Jungwoo had almost fell faint the minute he had unwinded the pipes and hundreds of that nasty legged creatures had crawled out._

_Just when those things had scampered from the metal of the pipes, still very much in falsetto, Ten jumped up on the counter and almost unconscious Jungwoo did too._

_Of course, once the roaches had disappeared into different corners of the apartment they had finally finished their little episode. Ten then had equipped them with some of the many spray cans. The ones they used and covered the house with just had happened to roach repellent. Jungwoo thought he could somewhat sleep in a little bit of peace that night after such a traumatic experience._

_With the repellent cans empty and shoved in the trash bags along with other things, they were now standing under the slightly gloomy sky in front of the dumpster near the entrance throwing away the other undescribable things they found and so carefully taken out of that sink. The two were only done with the sink, they still had to check the bathroom. Ten had reassured the boy that whenever he needed to use the bathroom or take a shower he'd make Johnny come pick him up, and Jungwoo had been grateful._

_The birds whispered in the few trees that were planted near by as Ten turned and walked past Jungwoo to get the to entrance. The art student realized and quickly skipped over to the dumpster and  threw the trash bag in effortlessly._

_Once the deed was done he hurried back to the entrance. Jungwoo had thrown the trash bag away but kept the paper in his palm, it had confused him. His eyes were back on the flyer_ _once he was closer to the entrance._

_"An art competition?" Jungwoo read aloud this time, his voice pitching at the question as he walked through the door that Ten held open for him. Ten hummed and let the door close once Jungwoo was in and walked towards one of the elevator. Jungwoo slowly trailed behind him, his eyes never leaving the almost torn paper._

_It wasn't until he made it to Ten's side that he looked up. He witnessed the Thai boy's delicate finger push in the button to for the doors to open and blinked. Jungwoo glanced back at the paper then at Ten again. The shorter was silent, just as the air. Though such wordless atmosphere did last long, Ten proceeded to suddenly click his tongue in annoyance before he turned to Jungwoo. The taller's eyes widened at his snatched the flyer from his fingers and pointed to the bold letters that the paper possessed._

_"If you win you get about a 1000 dollar reward," Ten began. Jungwoo frowned. "And, they'll contract you into the museum system to display more of your work. They'll pay you monthly if you bring a lot of attention with your work." Ten's finger skimmed past smaller letters this time where what he had just said was written._

_"What makes you think I'll win?" Jungwoo questioned and leaned back from Ten's shoulder only to stare at the numbers on the elevator as they went down. Ten scoffed._

_"Of course you'll win. Have you seen your work?" Ten huffed before crossing his arms and let his eyes wander to the same numbers._

_"It's no that good." Jungwoo responded. Ten rolled his eyes._

_"Plus," The Thai boy ignored his comment and cleared his throat making Jungwoo glance at him for a split second before going back to the digital numbers, "with the possibility of your work being displayed to a wider audience, you could round up enough money to rent a better place." Ten finished his sentence just as the elevator dinged and the doors slid open. Jungwoo's brows knotted and hurriedly followed Ten as he stepped into the elevator._

_They stood side by side as the elevator doors slid to a close, another wave of silence drowning them. Jungwoo sighed and shifted beside the Thai boy.  Ten_ _questioned_ _the shuffles and trained his eyes on Jungwoo with_ _his brows_ _raised._

_"You don't have to worry about me." Jungwoo clearly stated and crossed his arms, avoiding eye contact._ _The paper crumbled in the folds of Jungwoo's inner arm as he tightened his arms._ _Ten clicked his tongue again, but this time, mimicked the other in his stance_ _. Arms over his own chest, mockingly._

_"Right."_ _The word left the Thai boy's lips in a_ _n unconvinced_ _manner that Jungwoo felt there was no point in trying to change. It was wordless again, not awkward though, it never was with Ten. Jungwoo had this time to think. Him? In an art competition? Jungwoo frowned and pulled the paper back in front of his sight. A date was in bold, it was the deadline for you to turn in your work. Jungwoo blinked at the days, the due date was next week's Monday. Not that it mattered to him, he wasn't planning to enter. It'd be a waste, he'd expect too much._

_Jungwoo sighed just as the metal rusty doors slid to an open and Ten had stepped out of the shaky elevator. Jungwoo naturally did the same. Both of them headed back to the innocent looking door of his apartment that had metal numbers drilled into the wood_.  _180\. Jungwoo didn't think he'd be able to get used such an apartment and environmen the too soon but this was all he had so he was just going to have to_ _mak_ _e the best of it_.

*******

_It was utterly speechless once Yukhei had boarded the pitch black van. A face mask on as usual and baggy clothes that barely_ _clung_ _onto him. Loud fans crowded near the van but couldn't get too close because of the heavy security guard presence. Yukhei felt a headache rise in his temples._

_Once the model fully made it into the van, he sat in one of the back seats, his legs crossed. The sliding door of the van closed to the sound of the lung burning yells and screams from fanatic fan girls. The next ting to be heard was the sound of the passenger door  being opened as Taeil hopped into the seat with the chauffeur doing the same on the driver's side._

_Yukhei had his hands on his lap as he fiddled with his fingers, his eyes staring out the window to the entrance of the building they had just exited that was still being filled with fans and their signs. They had just finished the shoot for the variety show and were planning to drive back to near by hotel. His schedule was supposed to be private for this trip but somehow the word got out and that's how Yukhei's chauffeur found himself carefully driving past fans, trying not to hit any of them as they stood at a distance._

_Yukhei sighed, at least some of them were respectful, he could see from the window fans that were up front trying to push that ones that seemed to want to follow the van back with anger evident in their eyes. Yukhei further slumped in the seat as they finally got out of the mess._

_"Taeil." Yukhei called out. His manager turned in the passenger seat to meet Yukhei's exhausted posture. Yukhei lazily peered at Taeil's curious expression before going back to the window as they_ _passed multiple_ _of the city's buildings and went through busy traffic._

_"Yeah.." Taeil replied._

_"I don't care what my father said," Yukhei paused. "I'm going anyway.... I don't have plans tomorrow, right?" Taeil nodded in confirmation. "I wanna go see my mom and then can you please book a flight back?" Taeil bit his lip and turned back in his seat, reaching into his pocket for his phone. Now with his phone at his hands he looked through Yukhei's schedule._

_"I can do that. You finished most your courses for this week, right?" Taeil inquired, Yukhei gave a tired nodded as he felt himself get swooned into sleep by the comfort of the seat. "Okay, it's set. We'll go to your parents tomorrow around 3 in the afternoon then catch a flight back to Korea at 6." Taeil typed something into phone and peered into the back seats to see the soft rising and falling of Yukhei's chest. Taeil moved a little and got a glimpse of Yukhei shut eyes and let a gentle smile grace his lips._

_Taeil turned back in the seat and typed something else in. He could tell Yukhei was in a gloomy mood so Taeil didn't hesitate to press the order button on a set of lollipops on Amazon that would soon be delivered to the hotel._

_Lately the only two things that recharged Yukhei to his usual cheery self were lollipops and a certain someone currently living in one of Korea's most dangerous neighborhoods. But of course, Taeil didn't want to bother Jungwoo since Yukhei had told him about his apartment and the mess it was. The manager couldn't exactly order a Jungwoo online so lollipops were second best._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, I wanted to kinda address last weeks whole thing. I was super happy to see so much support and understanding from you guys it really brought tears to my eyes, I'm not even joking. While I'm not near being 100%, writing this ff helps me think of other things so I'll be updating like normal. Thank you so much to all of you who waited patiently for the update and have been so supporting, love you guys <3


	32. @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

**Tuesday,** **12:45 PM**

 

_**Noodlehead: you didn't have to hang up last night :((((** _

 

_**Bbyboy** _ **_♡_ ** _**: you were dead asleep dork** _

 

_**Bbyboy** _ **_♡_ ** _**: I deadass left my laptop in my room to check on my ramen and I come back on the skype call to see your face deep into your pillow** _

 

_**Bbyboy** _ **_♡_ ** _**: you sound like a broken motor when you snore btw** _

 

_**Noodlehead: should I be taking offense to that?** _

 

**_Bbyboy_ ** **_♡_ ** **_: no_ **

 

**_Noodlehead: aren't you in class rn???_ **

 

**_Bbyboy_ ** **_♡_ ** **_: ye_ **

 

**_Noodlehead: get off your phone >:(_ **

 

_**Bbyboy** _ **_♡_ ** _**: who's gonna make me :P** _

 

_**Noodlehead: just wait til I get back** _

 

**_Noodlehead: I'm gonna cuddle you so much_ **

 

**_Bbyboy_ ** **_♡_ ** **_: is that a threat? or a promise?_ **

 

**_Noodlehead: stfu and focus on those protons_ **

 

_**Bbyboy♡: I'm in mathematics** _

 

**_Noodlehead: ANYWHO_ **

 

**_Noodlehead: aren't you starting your job today??_ **

 

_**Noodlehead: what's your work schedule anyway??** _

 

_**Bbyboy** _ **_♡_ ** _**: didn't you just tell me to focus???** _

 

_**Bbyboy** _ **_♡_ ** _**: what's with all these questions??** _

 

_**Noodlehead: someone could say the same for you** _

 

**_Bbyboy_ ** **_♡_ ** **_: fuck you_ **

 

**_Bbyboy_ ** **_♡_ ** **_: and I get ready for work after this class and finish at_ ** **_8_ **

 

**_Bbyboy_ ** **_♡_ ** **_: I'll work there full time_ **

 

**_Bbyboy_ ** **_♡_ ** **_: except for sundays_ **

 

**_Bbyboy_ ** **_♡_ ** **_: I have those free_ **

 

_**Noodlehead: thank you bby <3** _

 

_**Bbyboy: why?** _

 

_**Noodlehead: because** _

 

_**Bbyboy: headass** _

 

_**Noodlehead:** _ _**cuteass** _

 

_**Bbyboy: you're losing brain cells again** _

 

_**Noodlehead: only for you** _

 

_*********_

  
_"Thanks for the ride again Sicheng." Jungwoo grinned awkwardly as Sicheng put the car to a stop in front of a_ _convenience_ _store. The sun hit the convenience store directly, the windows clear of plastered advertisements let the rays wash through them. The sun made the view of the_ _interior_ _of the store more visible._ _S_ _mall_ _isles with products on their shelves sat there innocently._

_Jungwoo fingers wrapped around the handle of the car door as he pushed it open, the humid air ate at his skin. Jungwoo wore nothing special, he was in a pair of jeans and a white tee with a small back pack slung over his shoulder._

_The art student proceeded set foot on the pavement that belonged to his now new working environment. Sicheng nodded as he avoided eye contact just as Jungwoo turned around to close the passenger door. Jungwoo waved Sicheng off and the Chinese male did the same, his grip on the steering wheel tightened as he drove down the empty street leaving Jungwoo on the sidewalk._

_The birds were more quiet that day, unlike the previous fuss Jungwoo had gone out to. The neighborhood wasn't really as dangerous as Jungwoo had first thought. Just this morning there was an old lady, who probably lived in the building, watering the small bushes in front of the apartment building. She was small and delicate._ _Unafraid._

**_Jungwoo had witnessed from his window the_ ** _**old lady having trouble refilling the can she used to water the plants. She struggled with the faucet on the side of the building. The handle didn't seem to budge. Jungwoo was peering down at her now, his window open. Jungwoo huffed as he watched the old woman try to give the faucet one more turn. The art student took a step back from the window and was planning to go down stairs to help her just when a young man approached her from the other side of the street. As soon as Jungwoo's eyes landed on the man, he almost instantly felt his heart jump to his throat.** _

_**The young man was littered in tattoos. His buff arms were exposed to the sun's early rays in the black tank he wore and his jeans hung at his waist. His brown hair was a** _ _**moppy** _ _**mess and he was taking long inhale of the cigarette he held at his lips. Jungwoo almost yelled for the old lady to watch out, that someone so shady was coming her way. That was until the woman herself turned away from trying to turn the hard faucet and was gracing the man walking with a loving smile.** _ **_Jungwoo frowned._ **

_**The young had returned the gentle smile and dropped the cigarette on the floor and stomped on it with his combat boot. The old lady then gave him a stern look as she placed her hands at her hips, now fully facing the younger who was only a few feet away from her.** _

_**"Jaehyun, sweety, you can get as many tattoos as you want but you will not liter." The old woman huffed. The man chuckled with fondness as he stepped aside. His boot off the put out cigarette. He reached down and took it to only toss it in the near by trash bin underneath one to the few trees around. The smile never leaving his face, dimples swallowed his cheeks. Jungwoo had stared at the scene in utter disbelief. The man then proceeded to help the old woman with the rest of the watering as they bickered as if they were long time friends.** _

_**Jungwoo barely listened in, and when it was time for him to leave for morning classes he had taken the back of the building. Not that they knew who he was, he just knew that if the Jaehyun dude said anything to his face he'd crumble and beg him to spare his life, he was too young to die. But seriously, Jaehyun?** _ **_Was it that Jaehyun?? From last night??_ **

**"Shut the fuck up Jaehyun..."**

**_The venomous voice had rang all day if Jungwoo's head. The voice that Jungwoo had guessed belonged to some guy named_ ** **_Hansol_ ** **_._ **

_Was it that gang?_

_Jungwoo shook his head to rid himself of those thoughts. Those exacts thoughts were the ones that had led him to daydream all of his course that day, plus Yukhei's cute texts. Jungwoo sighed and squinted at the glass door of the store and strolled towards it. His eyes wandered on the window walls of the outer store that were covered in advertisements. Jungwoo was closer to the door now and was planning to open it when one of the flyers had caught his attention._

_It was the same flyer Ten had given him the day before. Jungwoo stood there, silent, with his eyes not leaving the decorated paper plastered on the glass. Why was everything reminding of things that he worries too much about? Jungwoo was about let out another big sigh when a voice broke through._

_"Are you gonna come in or are you waiting for an invitation?" A rather high pitched voice drawled. Jungwoo blinked twice in realization that someone had actually opened the door of the store that he had been standing mindlessly in front. Jungwoo peered down at where the voice had come from to meet sharp eyes._ _Jugnwoo_ _gulped. The boy in front of him couldn't have been more than 20 years old, his skin was a beautiful sun kissed color that compliment his round eyes. Those same eyes drove drills into Jungwoo's presence._

_"Um... I'm a new e-employee." Jungwoo didn't know why he stuttered. The other didn't move but just stared at the art student for a while, his face void of emotion._

_"You're late." The shorter's lips said._

_"R-really?"_

_"Yeah." The other responded quickly, his lips were still open and he was about to say something else when a voice from inside of the store faintly called out._

_"Donghyuck! Stop being a brat and let him in."_ _An_ _authoritative_ _voice ordered. 'Donghyuck' rolled his eyes in annoyance and gave Jungwoo a quick and_ _sublte_ _glare before stepping aside from the entrance and holding the door open for Jungwoo to come in. Jungwoo swallowed hard, subconsciously tightened his grip on the strap of his back pack._ _He was almost sure this 'Donghyuck' character wasn't really fond of him._


	33. @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

_Yukhei_ _could feel the blood in his veins run cold with his fingers twitching nervously as he gnawed on his bottom lip. No one in the van had spoken through the whole ride that day, and now finally they had met their destination._

_The sound of the motor of the van being turned off echoed through the silent vechile. The van had stopped in a hiked up parking lot of a small town in it's tiny central. Taeil was in the passenger seat typing away on his phone, probably crossing off appointments and making new ones._

_The chauffeur frowned at the driver's seat before he glanced up through the rear view mirror to meet the reflection of an obviously anxious model. Yukhei's right leg now had begun to bounce in his jeans. The air conditioning blew through the vents of the van making a shiver kiss Yukhei's spine before he let out a sigh as the cold ran up._

_The model then glanced up, notcing the chauffeur's hidden concerned stare through the mirror. Yukhei gulped, the chauffeur looked away and out through his window to the blue sky that was setting into the near by sea._

_They had stopped at a small town that was located on the outskirts of Hong Kong._ _The_ _town neighbors with the gorgeous blue waves that belonged to the Pacific ocean. The town was reserved to the Sea side, calm and bland. If any of them were to leave their seats in the van and peek past the cement road on the mount that lead to civilization, they'd be met with a wide landscape of sand that bled into the crashing waves of salt water in front of them._

_If you watched, ant like figures could be seen scampering along the shore. And if you listened closely you'd recognize those ants to be groups of small children. They ran and played along the bank, laughter was what they would sing. What Yukhei had sang when he was young at the same shore._

_Only across the street from the parking lot they parked in was none other than the Thai restaurant_ _Yukhei_ _had grown up knowing. His Chinese father was happily married to his Thai mother. As far as he could remember they had always owned that small restaurant that was sandwiched in-between other small and old fashioned establishments._ _The waves crashed, it was loud enough to heard from such a distance._

_Yukhei_ _peered through his side of the car window and squinted his eyes, as if that would help him get a better look at the the restaurant. There were only a couple of customers from where_ _Yukhei_ _could see through the giant glass windows that gave you a whole view of the inside._

_It was set up the same too, from when Yukhei had lived there so many years ago, tables and chairs hadn't moved._ _Yukhei_ _swallowed and his leg bouncing had gotten faster. Taeil turned his head in the passenger seat to glance at_ _the model's_ _nervousness._

_Yukhei_ _breathed in and with that he halted the annoying bouncing of his thigh and bit the inside of his cheeks before abruptly turning to meet gazes with Taeil who found himself being caught staring. Taeil jolted only a little to the other's sudden actions._ _Yukhei_ _brought his hands from his lap and pulled up the face mask that rested underneath his chin._ _It now_ _covered_ _the bottom half of his face._

_"I'll be back in less than 30 minutes."_ _Yukhei_ _replied to Taeil's raised eye brow as he exited the car. He left the van with the door slammed shut. He stood in the parking lot underneath the sky's clouds that shaded him from the setting sun. Yukhei huffed in his dark joggers and gray hoodie, it's hood pulled up his head._

_And in such attire, he strolled near the restaurant._ _In_ _the past, Yukhei_ _had been surprised by his father and his obsession with having his son exceed in track instead of wanting him to take over the restaurant. He had guessed his father planned to have his younger brother take over._

_Yukhei_ _looked both ways of the empty road and crossed it with a skip in his step. He was in a hurry. Once he made it to the other side he was met with the entrance of his family restaurant. The door was shut in front of him, it being only a feet_ _disatnce_ _from his reach._

_The nostalgic and familiar neon_ _sign hung from the inside and lit past the glass window in colorful rays of Mandarin characters_. _Yukhei_ _wet his lips and slowly pulled out one of the hands that had been shoved in his pocket to reach for the metal handle. He had almost made it too._

_"_ _Yukhei_ _?" A soft voice called abruptly. The model jumped back from the door, his shoulders up to neck in fear as he turned to his right to see his mother in an apron with a trash bag in her delicate hands as she_ _emerged_ _from the side of one of the other buildings._

_She had been planning to take out the trash, obviously, she was going to toss in the dumpster that was on the left side of the other small store that had crowded the restaurant. His mother would have to walk in front of her own establishment to get there and that's how she had spotted_ _Yukhei_ _._

_"Ma! Don't scare me like that!"_ _Yukhei_ _gave a sigh, his body sagging and his nervousness melted into nothing in the pit of his stomach. That was the power his mother had on him, he had never felt self conscious or afraid near his mother. Yukhei had his eyes trained on the older woman before he let concern grace his face as_ _walked forward to his speechless mother. The striking woman just stared at her son as he neared with slightly wide eyes._ _Yukhei_ _frowned at her blank expression and felt a tinge of discomfort knot in him._

_Did she not want to see him too? Should've he not really bothered like his father had said? Of course those thoughts floated in his mind but were soon melted away when he watched his mother in front of him let the trash bag fall from her fingers. Her blank expression melted into a warm gaze as she darted towards the still Yukhei. Her feet scampered on the sidewalk until they reached her much taller son before she, without hesitation, embraced him with all she could. With her much smaller body could._

_Yukhei's heart spread with warmth and he stood there frozen for a second. His mother on the tips of her toes to have his face at the side of her head as she breathed into the crook of his neck. His hood had now fallen and her fingers were lovingly threading themselves through the hairs at his nape._ _She breathed in deeply and tightened her grip._

_Yukhei_ _felt like he was thrown back in time. To the time he where was young, when he was 7, 8, 9. When he hadn't left to Korea yet. His mother would embrace him like this, with all her heart and soul._


	34. Chapter 34

_Jungwoo had surprisingly learned a number of things form only his first hour on the job._ _Okay that's not entirely true, he didn't learn much but he did at the same time. If that made any sense._ _What Jungwoo knew for sure was that he'd need to bring a jacket next shift._

_The cold AC blew briskly_ _through the vents as silence infected the small store. Jungwoo was already on the job, apron around his waist as he stacked junk food on the_ _shelves_ _. A shiver ran down his spine. The art student let out a sigh under his breath._

_Jungwoo then bravely glanced down the isle to the front counter where the younger boy from earlier was, unwavering with his glare towards him._ _The art_ _student_ _quickly_ _turned back to his work but Donghyuck's sharp gaze stayed hard._

_The yo_ _unger boy with the nasty glare was Lee Donghyuck. He lived in the same apartment building Jungwoo did with his grandmother, the manager had explained earlier. The manager even bothered to further tell him that_ _Donghyuck's_ _disapproving gaze was just a phase. He was a teenager after all and the manager just left it at that. Since the manager had said not to take it to heart, Jungwoo wasn't going to. But god was it hard not to snap._

_Despite all the tension, there was one thing Jungwoo couldn't stop thinking about. The art student had wondered if the old lady from before, the one watering the plants, was Donghyuck's grandmother. Of course, Jungwoo was still slightly intimidated by the other's unwavering glare that seemed to be glued to the back of his head, so he didn't bother asking._

_The strong voice that had called out earlier, when he had entered the store, was from the manager, Lee Taeyong. Jungwoo had felt familiarity sting him at the sound of his name but ignored the emotion at his guts. Lee Taeyong was shorter, so was Donghyuck, than him with a bright maroon color bleached into the strands of his hair._

_Despite looking oddly dangerous without an expression, when Taeyong would smile, Jungwoo felt warmth. Unlike Donghyuck, Taeyong had been welcoming. The manager had kindly showed him around the small convenience store. Through the isles of bagged chips, Taeyong had explained a couple of things._

_One was, the freezers in the back had to have their entrance door from the outside always locked, and two, that it would be great if he would only bring positive vibes to work everyday. Other than that Taeyong was pretty laid back, letting Donghyuck do whatever he wanted most of the time. Jungwoo assumed they had known each other for a long time but of course didn't dare to pry._

_But besides that_ , _there Jungwoo was, placing a couple of Twinkies on one of the small shelves where the sweets were. The dark green colored apron was tightly wrapped around his waist and a tag was pinned at his breast pocket that spelled out his name._

_And of course, with Donghyuck intently watching him do his work from the main counter. The said_ _counter_ _was directly in front of the only 3 rows of supplies in the store, making the task of_ _staring_ _easy. Donghyuck, with his bold eyes, was glaring at Jungwoo mercilessly, his chin resting in his palm and his elbow on the ugly beige colored counter._

_Jungwoo swallowed hard as he placed another Twinkie in the stack with the others on the shelf. Jungwoo had also learned that Donghyuck wasn't very fond of him. The two were alone to look after the store since Taeyong had run off to take care of some important errands, and to say Jungwoo was more than just uncomfortable was an understatement._

_After stiffly placing another a Twinkie in it's place, Jungwoo dared himself to glance from the corner of his eye to the counter once more. Sharpness met him and he jolted slightly before returning to his work, his eyes recovering from accidentally meeting_ _Donghyuck's_ _sharp gaze._

_Jungwoo reached into the Twinkie box that he held underneath his arm for another Twinkie but was met with a hollowness. Jungwoo frowned down at the card board walls that were absent of anymore of those tasty treats. The art student sighed and bravely looked up to Donghyuck with the empty box in front of him. The younger, of course, hadn't torn his eyes away from the other since the minute he had walked in through the door._

_Jungwoo's lips parted and he was about vocalize the new development of the Twinkie disappearance when there was a sudden jingle from the door's bells. Someone had walked in._

_For the first time in that hour, Donghyuck tore his death embedded eyes away from Jungwoo, instead now he was letting a warm smile grace his face as he welcomed the customer only a few feet away from him._

_Jungwoo frowned and stood on the tips of his toes to peer over the surpirsingly tall rows to the entrance and almost had his jaw drop once he saw who had entered. Instead of letting his jaw dislocate itself, he let the empty_ _twinkie_ _box fall from his fingers._ _Donghyuck's_ _eyes returned to Jungwoo at the sound of the hollow box hitting the tiled floor_ _for a split second before going back to the customer._

_"Doyoung?" Jungwoo breathed, going back on his heels and walking out from the behind the one of rows._ _Doyoung's_ _eyes widened and his_ _ears perked to his name_ _before_ _he turned to where it was being called out from. Doyoung's marble wide eyes then softened to the sight of Jungwoo as he emerged from behind one of the rows. The art student frowned and made it to Doyoung's side, now being met by a friendly smile_ _._

_"Hey," Doyoung greeted, nonchalantly as if he always had come to this_ _convenience_ _store in the past. Puzzlement dawned Jungwoo._

_"What are you doing here?" Jungwoo asked, following Doyoung who began to wander about the first row, eyeing the snacks on the shelves._

_"Just wanted to check up on you I guess." Doyoung muttered as he bent down to pick up and pack of gum before walking past Jungwoo who stood by the shelf, in a way, dumbfounded._

_Doyoung made it to the counter and passed Donghyuck the pack of gum. Donghyuck, in return, gave the taller a golden smile before_ _swipping_ _the pack and checking out the item. The younger gave Doyoung the price. Jungwoo swallowed and blinked slowly before he turned on his heels to watch_ _Doyoung's_ _back as he reached for his back pocket for extra change._

_Jungwoo opened his mouth to say something but for the second time that day he was interrupted by the jingle of that damned front door again. Jungwoo let out a borderline aggravated sigh as he crossed his arms before he turned his head to see who had just come in. His eyes landed on familiar toned biceps with tattoos decorating their skin, Jungwoo felt his heart sky rocket to his throat and his stomach turn upside down._

_Jungwoo's eyes widened like a deer caught in head lights when his vision traveled up to the young man's face and his sharp gaze was pouring into his. Jungwoo stood frozen for a good second before he unevenly cleared his throat and turned around._

_His back now towards the young man that he recognized from this morning, or Jungwoo could even refer to him as one of the guys from last night. Jungwoo walked back to the 3rd isle and bent down to pick up the fallen Twinkie box._

**What was he doing here?** _Jungwoo thought to himself. First he helps that old woman and now he's walking int this store as if he didn't threaten to beat up some guy to death the night before? Jungwoo was beyond his own confusion._

_"Jaehyun! What are you doing here?" Donghyuck exclaimed enthusiastically. Jungwoo unconsciously scoffed under his breath to the contrast of the_ _younger's_ _earlier glare to the velvety sound of the childlike fun in his vocals._

_Jaehyun gave the teen a dimpled grin before he let his eyes fall to the customer already there._ _Doyoung_ _finally turned to meet gazes with Jaehyun and a bright red blush appeared on the artist's face the minute_ _Jaehyun's_ _delicate brown eyes seemed to sink into his._

_Doyoung swallowed, before bashfully turning away from Jaehyun who's grin hadn't disappeared. The artist handed Donghyuck a couple of bucks in coins before snatching the packet of gum off the counter and_ _quickly_ _walking past the Jaehyun who still stood in his handsome glory. Jaehyun's seemed to twinkle as he watched Doyoung begin to leave in a jittery mess. Doyoung almost made it to the door before he called out._

_"B-Bye Jungwoo!! See you this Saturday." And with that another jingle came from the door but this time it was because someone had left. Jungwoo straightened his posture and peered over the rows again to see Doyoung hurriedly walk along the sidewalk with his eyes to ground and a blush so red Jungwoo could see it through the glass of the door before he disappeared._


	35. @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

_Jung Jaehyun. That was the tattooed decorated young man's name. And the this was the same man that had stood at the front counter chatting it away with Donghyuck for almost an hour before Taeyong had returned from his errands and had shooed the dimpled man away. Even during their chatter, Jungwoo had kept a safe distance from the well built man and carried on with his work on the shelves._

_Jungwoo didn't want the other to even know of his existence. Despite the fact that it was most definite that the man at the counter having an insightful conversation about the Star Wars legeacy with a 16 year old was the same man from the night before. The memories still creeped up Jungwoo's spine. What had he gotten himself into?_

_Jungwoo stood in front of one of the open freezers now, placing bottles of soda and water in their named rows. The cold from the open door hugged him in his tee and apron. Jungwoo could almost feel his teeth begin to shake at the ice bites, his fingers turning red from moving the chilling bottles already in the freezer around for more space._

_From the back of his ears he could faintly hear the tapping of Donghyuck's foot on the marble tiles that belonged to the store. Mutters of frustration erupted from the younger more then 5 feet from where Jungwoo stood._

_The art student felt his shoulders slump slightly at another mini yell from the younger, his back still to him. Lee Donghyuck, not only was an utter brat, but also a gamer. A gamer who was too busy defeating someone's spaceship in some game as he did his job at the front desk._

_Oh did Jungwoo want to give an earful. After he had stepped in this morning, just breathing, Donghyuck had the audacity to eye him like some sort of scum stuck on the back of his shoe. Where the younger himself didn't seem to have any shame when it came to being so irresponsible as to play a game while on the job._

_Jungwoo sighed to himself with a teenager screech escaping Donghyuck in the background. Jungwoo stepped back from the freezer and reached out to take the handle of the fiber glass door. He wrapped his fingers around the metal and shut the door to a close before turning to his side where empty boxes stood. The hollow boxes were once filled with the drinks he had just placed in the freezer, their pictures being advertised on the sides of them._

_Jungwoo glanced over his shoulder to spot Donghyuck still playing so intently on his phone. He held the device horizontally in his palms with his thumbs tapping away at the screen. Jungwoo moved his eyes to train them on Donghyuck's face._

_His mouth hung open and his brows creased as he concentrated so deeply on what the device displayed in front of him. His eyes twinkled and flickered with the reflection of his phone. A grin slowly making it to his lips as he grunted triumphantly to himself._

_Despite Taeyong having arrived, Donghyuck didn't seem to have changed his behavior at all. Of cours, Taeyong wasn't in the store at the moment, he said he needed to step out just as he had dismissed Jaehyun. And now it had been just Jungwoo and Donghyuck reminiscing in each other's company._

_Jungwoo rolled his eyes at the thought of them getting along. He wanted to be at least decent acquaintances with the other but Donghyuck hadn't seemed too enthusiastic about the idea._

_For example, when Jungwoo had earlier asked what else there was for him to do, the child like wonder from Donghyuck's chocolate eyes dispersed the minute he lifted them from his phone to meet Jungwoo's gaze. He had answered him in a sassy mutter. Jungwoo was just about to snap. He wasn't going to though. He had to keep this job._ _So, as Jungwoo had been doing most of that first day, he breathed in and carried on._

_Jungwoo looked back the empty boxes and stacked them up and let them fall into one another. Once they were all complied together, Jungwoo crouched down._

_To the bend of his knees, he positioned himself as he extended out his arms so that his fingers could slip underneath the stack and easily they did. Jungwoo now reeled in the stack close to his chest as he went back on the heels of his shoes._

_He could still slightly see the outline of Donghyuck mindlessly playing his games. Jungwoo let himself roll his eyes just as there was another jingle at the door, Jungwoo turned to the door but couldn't really see past the object at his chest._

_The art student heard from his right the sound of rustling form the counter. Jungwoo glanced at the younger to see the other rushing to hide his device as a flustered red painted his unblemished sun kissed skin at his high cheeks._

_"Hyuck. I told you that playing games during work was prohibited." Taeyong's gentled scolding could be heard. Jungwoo brows raised as he moved the stack farther to the other side of his chest so he could get a better view._

_Once he got a good look, Donghyuck was seen with cute pout gracing his face. His bottom lip was oddly jutted out and his eyes were big in an obvious attempt to have Taeyong melt, though Jungwoo couldn't really tell whether it was working on the manger from where he stood._

_Just as fast as Donghyuck had set up his big eyed and pouty expression did it fall once he knew he wasn't winning. With a disatisfied grunt, Donghyuck reluctantly pulled out his phone, with plans of shoving it away in his back pocket._

_The teenager had hidden it underneath the counter the minute Taeyong entered and now he made sure he had Taeyong watch him as he turned it off the device before putting it away. Jungwoo was almost sure Taeyong was standing there with a pleased smile in front of the_ other _. T_ _hough, of course, he_ _couldn't_ _see._


	36. @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am SO sorry this is a day late. School is starting in two days and I was so busy yesterday that I didn't have time to sit down and publish :( but here you guys go!!

_"Jungwoo!" Taeyong was heard calling. Jungwoo scrambled with the stack of boxes at his chest as he let his limbs take him to where Taeyong's soft vocals emerged from. Jungwoo had made it to the front counter in seconds. It also only took seconds for_ _him_ _to feel Donghyuck's gaze sting at his back as he faced their manager behind the boxes. The art student_ _found_ _himself ignoring the lasers that admitted from Donghyuck's deceivingly soft eyes as he peered past the boxes he held closely._

_Peeking past, Jungwoo was met with the manager's warm smile that complimented his sharply handsome features. The maroon headed male cleared his throat and loosened his smile before parting his lips and lifting his tongue to speak again, "could you please help me with something outside? One of my errands was bringing in some groceries."_

_Jungwoo bit at his lip to keep himself from showing an overly enthusiastic grin. The art student nodded hurriedly and Taeyong chuckled as he watched Jungwoo frantically move to set the empty boxes down on the counter with a quiet protesting Donghyuck behind it._

_Now with the card board shielding him from the younger's blood stopping glare, Jungwoo further let his grin show to Taeyong who gestured for the taller to follow him as he hurried to the front to leave._ _Jungwoo following close_ _behind_ _him._

_Taeyong had held the glass door open for Jungwoo and the art student gave the other a small nod of gratitude. Once Jungwoo had completely stepped out from behind the door, Taeyong released it and let the door swing shut with a still Jungwoo only a few steps from the door way. The taller shifted on his footing as nervousness shuttered through his veins. He dragged his palms on his jeans to rid them of his anxious sweat_ _as Taeyong approached a vechile._

_On the side of the pavement was a parked two door car. The paint had been scratched off on some sides of the vechile and rust was beginning to bleed through on the hood. Jungwoo swallowed as his eyes followed Taeyong who had walked off to the back of the car where he had left the trunk open. Jungwoo watched as he lifted hood of it open. Taeyong's brows frowning in concentration as he looked through the back._

_Jungwoo stood there, with his back to the entrance. The long glass walls and the space of feet in between his back and Donghyuck's eyes lessened the sting of his glare that Jungwoo knew he was getting stabbed with. Even_ _behind_ _all the advertisements plastered._

_Jungwoo's heart was thumping his ears. He had no idea why he was nervous with Taeyong. He just didn't want to make a fool out of himself in front of him. The minute Jungwoo had encountered the other he had automatically received Jungwoo's respect. Just by the manner in which he carried himself was admirable._

_Taeyong peeked to where Jungwoo stood and let a warm smile fall on his lips, his eyes twinkled as his pearly teeth showed. Once more, Taeyong raised his hand a gestured the other to come forward. Jungwoo jolted at the sudden smile and softness of it before he nodded hurriedly and scampered to Taeyong's side, wiping his palms on his jeans again._

_Now standing beside the other Jungwoo had a clear view of what was inside the trunk. Jungwoo felt his heart stop and his mind cloud. Confusion drowned him._

_"What is-" Jungwoo began at the sight._

_"Cat food." Taryong answered his unfinished question. Jungwoo shut his mouth, his brows creased and he turned to Taeyong who was already looking at him from his side._

_"Yeah, I know what cat food is. But why do you have so many big bags of it." Jungwoo huffed, shifting back to the mountains of branded bags of cat food that had been shoved into all the available space of the car's trunk. Taeyong cleared his throat, Jungwoo glanced at him to see the shorter scratching the back of his neck as he stared off at the bags._

_"Well.. there's this stray cat that comes by a lot." Taeyong began, Jungwoo still eyeing his manager. "And she gets really,_ _**really** _ _hungry." Jungwoo tilted his head, his puzzled frown deepened and he placed his hands on his hips. His eyes drew themselves back, so now they were both equally staring at the bags decorated with pictures of cats, facts and ingredients._

_"Just call a pound? I'm pretty sure they take cats." Jungwoo voiced. Taeyong was heard gasping beside him, Jungwoo's eyes widened at the dramatic sound and faced Taeyong who had his mouth ajar and his expression painted with utter hurt. Jungwoo panicked but didn't say word._

_"That's unfair!" Taeyong exclaimed, a frowned etched his unrealistic features and he crossed his arms. Jungwoo's mouth opened and close. He couldn't find the right words. Had what he said been wrong? "She was here first. Plus," Taeyong clicked his tongue. "She keeps the rats away." Jungwoo blinked a couple of times. His face had been drained of color from Taeyong's unnecessary reaction._

_Taeyong lifted his arms and stretched, Jungwoo took a step back to let Taeyong free his limbs before the shorter let his palms meet at his torso with a loud clap._

_"Any who," Taeyong sighed as he reached forward for one of the bags. It was almost twice his size. He gripped at the plastic and easily lifted the bag up, the grains of food inside moved and it sounded like falling pebbles. Jungwoo stood back, speechless. "Starting tomorrow, you're in charge of feeding her each time you come in the morning and each time you leave at night." Taeyong grinned, and with his free hand he pointed behind Jungwoo._

_Jungwoo turned on his heels to see where his index finger had been pointing at to be met with a large metal bowl with smudged away cartoon dog bones on the sides. It was a dog bowl. Originally for a large dog. Large scary dogs,_ _one_ _would assume. But instead, his new manager was making him refill it twice a day for the neighborhood's stray cat._


	37. @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

_With a broom in hand, Jungwoo leaned over a short shelf to_ _peek through one the of the front windows of the store. His eyes scanned across the deserted road that ran and separated other establishments. The sun was falling behind a couple of tall buildings at the end of the road._

_Jungwoo peered past the plastered advertisements on the other side of the glass. He stared dreamily at the blood in the sky that was being eaten by the darkness of the upcoming night. It was almost 8 pm._

_"Okay time to close up guys." Taeyong's cheery vocals announced faintly behind Jungwoo. The art student jumped to the voice that broke through his blank mind before he turned away from the window. He straightened his posture from how he was, leaning over a couple of the short shelves of snacks._

_Jungwoo turned away to see Taeyong reaching over the front counter only a feet away from him for something underneath the wooden surface._

_Donghyuck had already been to the lockers in the back and had taken his green vest with his name tag off. The beautifully sun kissed teen was left in a retro tee and a pair of torn jeans, a small pack hung off his shoulder as he took steps forward from the locker doors behind him. His eyes were glued down to the phone in one of his palms as he tried the difficult task of typing with only one thumb, his other hand busy with holding the straps of bag over his shoulder._

_Jungwoo blinked and glanced down at his own attire, still in the apron. The art student felt embarrassment bloom in his chest. He had been too busy staring off and out the window to notice the time fly so fast. He had a lot on his mind, but when he found his eyes draw themselves to the colorful sky fading into a black all his thoughts dispersed, leaving his mind calm. That had been the first time that day he hadn't thought of something. Something being the whole gang thing and Yukhei and when he was returning._

_Jungwoo grinned sheepishly at Taeyong once he rose from reaching over the counter. The manager was_ _straightened_ _now, a charger in hand. Jungwoo took this opportunity to excuse himself quickly to the locker room with a soft tone. Taeyong had nodded with a small smile. Jungwoo returned it._

_The art student then strode over to the locker room and set the broom near entrance. Donghyuck scoffed at the taller as he entered, it had been the first time he even looked up from his device since he had readied himself to leave for the night. Jungwoo only rolled his eyes and disappeared behind the door._

_*****_

_Yukhei was back at his hotel room that night. And as the model had promised, he took less then 30 minutes to meet and speak with his mother briefly. He knew that she wasn't that busy with the restaurant, even if he wanted to, they couldn't sit down and talk. Yukhei had taken 20 minutes with his mother._

_He felt his mother, in personality, was a mirror to his own. They had been in each other's embrace for a total of 10 minutes out of the 20 before_ _Yukhei_ _had pulled back and explained he didn't have much time to spare._

_He had told her how things were going back in Korea, minus the boyfriend part, and how work was treating him. He had come out to his parents as bisexual long ago, mind you. Neither took it too happily nor harshly so Yukhei left it at that._

_The sickly proud smile had never left his mother's tired features as he had spoken on, and somewhere deep in his chest it stung. He wanted to tell her about Jungwoo, about his feelings, about how he actually wanted to be an engineer. He couldn't. Not when his modeling career was one of the main reasons they still owned the restaurant in the first place._

_He knew how much it meant to his parents, so he kept quiet and later kissed his mother goodbye. Leaving her to wave him off on the sidewalk in front of his old home as he scurried across the road to the parking lot where the van was. The waves were crashing behind them._

_Yukhei stirred on the sheets that had been neatly hugging the mattress he laid on, wrinkling the fabric as he switched his position to go on his side. A_ __lollipop rested on his tongue, the flavor of vibrant grape ate at his taste buds._ _

_The lollipop knocked his teeth as he shifted a little. He brought up one of his hands and subconsciously rubbed the center of his chest as if it would help get rid of the dull guilt buzz that he had been feeling for the past hour, of course it didn't. In his other hand was his phone, his fingers swiping across the tempered glass screen as the brightness of it dimly lit his face._

_The hotel was a high priced one, obviously. They had arrived less then 2 hours ago in the black van. The hotel building staff had ensured that Yukhei safety came first. While the model was decently well known in Korea, back home he had numerous avid fans that would quite frankly do anything to be near him. Luckily, no one had tailed them as they left the small town to go back to the capital._

_The hotel room he stayed in offered him his own hot tub in the bathroom, a single bed, a wide screen TV only a foot away from his spot on the mattress and a small terrace with a gorgeous view of the city lights._

_But instead of admiring the light pollution, Yukhei laid there on the bed and clicked around on his phone before finally letting his chest flood with a yearning emotion. An emotion he had pushed down the minute he stepped foot in China. He really missed Jungwoo. After random swipes and clicks, the model pressed_ _on the screen, opening his messages_ _and began to type._

_**Noodlehead: I'm coming back early bby** _

**_Bby boy_ ** _♡_ _**: first** _

 

_**Bby boy♡: b-bby?** _

 

_**Bby boy♡: second** _

 

_**Bby boy♡: why?? Did something happen??** _

 

_**Noodlehead: everything's fine. I just finished what I had to do here early that's all** _

 

_**Noodlehead: and yes** _

 

_**Noodlehead: bby** _

 

_**Bby boy♡: nasty** _

 

_**Noodlehead: did you just finish work??** _

 

_**Bby boy♡: yup** _

 

**_Noodlehead: how was it???_ **

 

**_Bby boy♡: oof, okay. I'm omw home rn and I can't really text and walk at the same time so I'll let you know when I get home and I'll tell you all about it_ **

 

_**Noodlehead: but I miss you :((** _

 

_**Bby boy♡: and you'll keep missing me until I get home** _

 

**_Noodlehead: :"(_ **

 


	38. @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

_Outside, the breeze was cool and soft. The streets were without honking vechiles but instead dusted with the calming wind that blew through that afternoon turning into night. Jungwoo tightened the grip on the strap of his back pack as it hung off his shoulder._

_The sun was nearly almost gone by now. A couple of stars barely peeked into to sight through the velvet black sky above. Both Donghyuck and Jungwoo awkwardly strolled beside each other_ _down the sidewalk_ _. Silence and occasional  tweets and rustles of near by planted tall trees were heard._

_Donghyuck walked down the sidewalk with his eyes sternly trained on the device that was horizontally placed in his palms. He never even managed to misplace his step as he swiped his fingers across the screen mindlessly. Jungwoo glanced down at the other, surpirsed at his ability to keep his attention focused on one thing while maintaining a perfect and almost effortless stride. If it were Jungwoo, he would've tripped by now._

_"You're staring," Donghyuck muttered_ _after_ _seconds passed, his soft lips perked up as he concentrated on his game. His eyes never left his phone. Jungwoo cleared his throat, feeling heat swim at his nape and let his eyes wander the empty street to his right. His eyes ran across the stores that were all mostly closed on the other side along_ _with_ _the cracks on the other walkway._

_Donghyuck rolled his eyes before abruptly turning off his cell phone and shoving it in his back pocket. Jungwoo glanced at the other once more to the sounds that weren't their steps._

_Jungwoo noticed from the corner of his eye that the teen was slow in his steps until he ultimately made it to a halt just as they approached a crossing. Jungwoo frowned and stopped as well but only a few steps in front of the other who, for the first time, wasn't glaring him into tomorrow._

_Jungwoo felt uneasiness settle in his stomach and his adam's apple_ _bobbed_ _at his gulp. Jungwoo turned to face Donghyuck as he stared at the ground, the teen shuffle a little  before he lifted his gaze. Jungwoo was then met with something hard and rock in the teen's eyes. Determination was it? Or was it hatred? Jungwoo never thought he'd ever find himself confusing the two._

_Wordless was the atmosphere's name._ _After_ _utterless and motionless seconds of just odd staring between the two, Donghyuck took a rather big step forward. Jungwoo returned it with a small one back. Donghyuck wasn't glaring, but he was staring hard._ _Jungwoo felt his throat grow uncomfortably dry. It was odd._

_Donghyuck stepped forward and this time Jungwoo_ _didn't_ _feel the power in legs to take another step back. Donghyuck peered up at him, Jungwoo_ _was_ _frozen and the teen was nearly invading his personal bubble. Jungwoo parted his lips and tried to push off the_ _question_ _on the tip of tongue,_ _his_ _hand_ _loosened_ _it's grip on the strap. Donghyuck's eyes darted from Jungwoo  slightly bugged out eyes down to Jungwoo's loosened palm._

_Jungwoo_ _was_ _slow to notice the arm_ _at_ _the teen's side rise and move_ _forward_ _before_ _it_ _was too late. Donghyuck, in sharp movements,_ _reached_ _out and snatched Jungwoo's strap from his palm_ _and_ _dragged_ _the_ _back_ _right off his shoulder. Donghyuck brought_ _it_ _up_ _to his chest just as a_ _surprised_ _gasp escaped Jungwoo's  parted lips at the sight of his bag suddenly in another's hold._

 _Donghyuck eyes dragged down the fabric of the bag as he took a stride back and he unzipped the bag open. Jungwoo frowned, confused with a tinge of annoyance melting_ _in_ _his chest. Donghyuck released_ _the_ _zipper from in_ _between_ _his_ _fingers_ _and instead brought_ _his_ _hand to_ _the_ _bottom of_ _the_ _bag and gripped_ _the_ _fabric_ _before turning_ _the_ _bag completely upside down._

 _"_ _What_ _are you doing-" Jungwoo heard the words come out in utter shock at_ _the_ _sight_ _of his items fall to_ _gravities_ _'_ _pull_ _and_ _land_ _on_ _the_ _concrete of_ _the_ _sidewalk._

_Things_ _like_ _his folders,_ _pencils_ _, markers, even his lip balm skid to the ground. Jungwoo's jaw was almost there next to his things as he dropped to his knees and tried to round up_ _the_ _remaining things as_ _some_ _rolled._ _He could give the teen a lecture later, right now, all he wanted was to get his stuff back together._ _Donghyuck_ _frowned down at the kneeling Jungwoo. A bitter expression painted his_ _delicate_ _features._

_Donghyuck clicked his_ _tongue_ _before he lifted the bag_ _upward_ _and started looking through it himself. Jungwoo groaned loudly, he gripped onto his_ _pencil_ _case before snapping his neck up_ _. He was met with a_ _nosy_ _Donghyuck having his head nearly shoved into the depths of his bag as he_ _rummaged_ _for something._

_Jungwoo felt anger flicker in his emotions and gritted his teeth. The art student loudly and in fast pace got_ _up_ _from his knees,_ _his_ _brows knitted as he reached out for his bag, a Donghyuck now innocently looking through the small pockets. He tossed out tissues and mints from_ _their_ _rightful places in those pockets. Jungwoo was about to snap._

_The taller reached over and tightly held a piece of the fabric bag in the ball of his fist and yanked the bag from Donghyuck's hold. The_ _teen_ _was taken aback as he lifted his eyes to meet the others. Jungwoo's_ _eyes_ _bled anger and annoyance_ _and_ _his_ _clenched_ _jaw_ _looked_ _like it was about to snap._

 _Donghyuck almost felt a shiver run up his spine but he_ _didn't_ _let his_ _surprise_ _and subtle fear show. Instead,_ _he_ _folded_ _his arms around his chest and leaned his weight on one of his hips, lifting_ _his_ _chin up a little as he daringly stared at Jungwoo with as_ _much_ _hardness._

_A minute passed and Jungwoo was_ _the_ _first to break eye contact. Like the wind had knocked_ _through_ _him, which it did, he breathed out and_ _his_ _tight shoulders sagged and he let his eyes drop to the ground where his items laid,_ _untouched_ _. His anger_ _wasn't_ _lava in his_ _chest_ _anymore, just_ _mere_ _stings. Jungwoo rolled his eyes in his_ _head_ _to a close and brought up said_ _head_ _, letting it lol back._

_With_ _his face to the now night sky he breathed and another subtle_ _breeze_ _blew, moving his cutely cut side fringes to brush against his temple._ _Jungwoo_ _parted his lips_ _to_ _let a groan out and Donghyuck jolted back slightly to the sound. Jungwoo dropped_ _his_ _head_ _back normally on_ _his_ _shoulders and stared at Donghyuck again._ _The_ _teen_ _hadn't_ _dared to look away the entirety of Jungwoo's recollection._

 _"Why the fuck did you do that?"_ _Jungwoo_ _kept_ _his_ _voice_ _steady._ _Donghyuck_ _cocked_ _his_ _eye brow to_ _the_ _cuss word that seemed oddly fitting in his soft vocals. The teen stood there, expressionless for a few seconds before a_ _bitter_ _smirk made it to his lips. Jungwoo frowned._

_"_ _Don't_ _talk to me outside of work. If you see an old woman watering the front plants,_ _don't_ _even look at her. I_ _hate_ _you people. I_ _might've_ _not found anything in that little fucking bag of yours but I know. Don't you think you can just strolling in here just because you and your other_ _friends_ _got ratted out a few months ago. I really fucking hate you people." Donghyuck threaded every word so beautifully with venom._

_His eyes_ _weren't_ _glaring childish hatred, they were real daggers. Jungwoo was_ _dawned_ _with utter puzzlement, his mind spun circles at his words._

_"What are you talking about? Friends? What the_ _hell_ _were you looking for in my damn bag?" Jungwoo asked sternly, his expression was scrunched as if his had_ _tasted_ _something sour. His heart beat was up and down_ _like_ _a roller coaster. Donghyuck scoffed._

_"Drugs. The ones your friends_ _from_ _the city over_ _keep_ _bringing in here."_ _Donghyuck_ _had answered, rather blunt and straight forward._

_"D-Drugs?" Jungwoo uttered in disbelief, he_ _felt_ _laughter bubble in his throat. Everything had been so ironically funny. Jungwoo's bubbling anger was hidden behind his humorless laugh that only lasted seconds. Donghyuck's soft lips turned_ _to_ _a frown, he loosened his cocky stance to watch Jungwoo chuckle under his breath. "You think_ ** _I_** _brought_ _drugs_ ** _here_** _?"_

 _The question was_ _unexpected_ _on Donghyuck's part and so was_ _the_ _now died down laughter. The teen bit his bottom lip and let a soft frown_ _grace_ _his features at Jungwoo's_ _cocky_ _grin. The art student's eyes searched for an answer in his._ _The_ _younger_ _cleared_ _his throat and_ _shuffled_ _his_ _weight_ _._

 _"Y-You_ _and_ _that guy that helped_ _you_ _bring shit up to your apartment._ _With_ _the mask." Donghyuck accidentally stuttered. It was now Jungwoo's_ _turn_ _to frown. "Who wears a face mask in such heat anyway._ _It's_ _suspicious...."_ _Donghyuck_ _was_ _getting_ _nervous now, something tingled at his feet, Donghyuck moved and tried to seem confident, "Jaehyun_ _said_ _he'd_ _keep_ _an eye on_ _you_ _! The whole_ _gang_ _will! That apartment is a_ _perfect_ _place for stoners like you to plot your plans. And since you_ _and_ _your buddies got busted a few months ago by the cops you guys have been flooding in here like fucking_ _mosquitoes_ _. Just because we_ _don't_ _have the_ _greatest_ _fucking_ _maintenance_ _doesn't_ _mean_ _you can infest this place with whatever you want, there are families here." Donghyuck's demeanour broke and his face darkened, he clenched his jaw. "Families that people like you destory."_

_It was as if Jungwoo had been thrown into a deeper spiral than ever. He knew that by the end of the walk_ _home_ _that night_ _he'd_ _have a whole damn story to tell his boyfriend over_ _Skype_ _._


	39. @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

_That night,_ _Jungwoo_ _had been left to walk home by himself. After a sudden new_ _discovery_ _, at least on Jungwoo's part, silence had shortly_ _after_ _dawned on the two._ _Donghyuck's_ _eyes seemed to_ _tremble_ _has he thought and glanced_ _around_ _. The teen had_ _taken_ _a deep breath before he_ _trotted_ _over to the Jungwoo's belongings on the_ _ground_ _. Donghyuck then proceeded to kick some_ _around_ _, with Jungwoo yelling_ _in_ _protest_ _of_ _course_ _._

 _Soon, after_ _the_ _items were now more scattered, Donghyuck had ran off in fast speed. The bottom of his sneakers_ _skidding_ _across_ _the_ _cement as he turned the corner of a building before disappearing_ _behind_ _it_ _._

 _That_ _was approximately about 20_ _minutes_ _ago._ _Jungwoo_ _had_ _quickly_ _gathered all of his belongings and_ _stuffed_ _them in his bag_ _mindlessly_. _He didn't have time_ _to_ _think of what belonged where in_ _his_ _bag though._ _T_ _he sun was almost gone behind the_ _other_ _side of the earth and he still didnt know the way home._

 _ _And now it had been approximately 16 minutes since the art__ _ _student__ _ _had__ _ _checked__ _ _his__ _ _phone__ __only__ _ _to find it with__ _ _it's__ _ _battery life drained. Jungwoo was alone.__ _Jungwoo turned the_ _corner_ _he watched the teen get swallowed by on his hot_ _feet_ _but only found himself knowing less of where he was. Jungwoo futher walked down another sidewalk to only reach a space in between two establishments that had long closed._

 _The chilly_ _night_ _air nipped uncomfortably at_ _his_ _skin and he felt a shiver run along his back. Jungwoo looked around the corner of a tall brick building to see a hollow and erie alley way_ _haunting_ _him with it's_ _soundless_ _walls._

 _The street lights then flickered on seconds later, causing Jungwoo to glance back to the long light pole_ _only_ _a feet away from him in a small jump._ _Jungwoo_ _sighed and felt_ _his_ _heart thunder before he peered back down the alley way only to have the_ _hairs_ _on his arms stand_ _on_ _their ends._

 _The art student gasped back and felt himself lose his_ _footing_ _at_ _the_ _sight of the_ _crouched_ _down and shadowed_ _figure_ _that leaned against_ _one_ _of the brick walls. Gravity took a hold of the artstudent and with an embarrassing_ _thump, he found himself on the ground_  
_Jungwoo_ _was_ _now on the ground, again,_ _on_ _his ass._

 _He stared bug_ _wided_ _as he managed to get a_ _better_ _look at the_ _figure_ _to see_ _it's_ _glowing eyes moving slowly to_ _meet_ _his. Jungwoo felt his own_ _throat_ _grow dry. Neither of them moved for a second._ _Jungwoo_ _felt his_ _lips_ _were numb, his heart was so heavy that he_ _couldn't_ _even stand. Fear and adrenaline rushed like wildfire did in a forest_ _through_ _Jungwoo's tight veins._

 _The_ _art student heard the rustling of movements_ _from_ _the alley where the shadowed figure was. He_ _couldn't_ _see what was being moved, the only good the nasty blue_ _tinted_ _street lights did was light_ _up_ _the others eyes that pierced through Jungwoo's being._

 _There was more rustling then a snap and Jungwoo felt himself have_ _the_ _energy_ _to frown in confusion. Something was lighting up. Jungwoo squinted. It was a_ _lighter_ _. The person in the_ _alley_ _held a_ _lighter_ _in their palms. Jungwoo_ _watched_ _as_ _they_ _brought the lighter_ _up_ _to their face where a cigarette was held in_ _between_ _their lips._

 _Something melted in Jungwoo's stomach at the sight of the lighter bringing vision to the person's face for only second as they lit up their_ _cigarette_ _. It was Jaehyun._

 _Jungwoo_ _couldn't_ _exactly pin point the emotions that_ _overcame_ _him next._ _Relief_ _? More fear? Again, something_ _he'd_ _never thought he_ _wouldn't_ _be able to decipher between._

 _Jaehyun_ _then stood up from his crouched positions neaf the_ _puddles_ _gathered in the_ _cement_ _ground_ _and_ _proceeded_ _to walk_ _towards_ _the_ _still_ _Jungwoo_ _who_ _hadn't_ _moved_ _from his place on_ _the_ _ground._ _The_ _tattooed male finally reached to_ _where_ _Jungwoo pathetically sat, fallen, on the ground._

 _Jaehyun stared down at him and Jungwoo stared right back. The art student was almost certain his_ _heart_ _dropped_ _completely_ _long ago. Jaehyun was the one to_ _break_ _the sore bringing silence._

 _"You okay?"_ _Jaehyun_ _asked gently. Taking a long inhale of his cigarette. He pulled it back from his soft lips and smoke escaped his mouth. Jaehyin peered down at the frozen Jungwoo with hints on puzzlement in his eyes. It was as if_ _everything_ _had hit him in_ _the_ _face_ _like_ _a ton of bricks. With_ _the_ _art_ _student_ _still on the cement of the sidewalk, big fat and hot tears welled up in his crystal eyes._

 _Jaehyun's expression turned_ _from_ _slightly concerned to full on panicked as Jungwoo scooted back on the ground, finally feeling strength_ _somewhere_ _. The art student_ _brought_ _up his left_ _palm_ _to cover his mouth, the_ _bubbling_ _feeling of a sob trying to_ _break_ _through_ _was hitting his throat._

 _Jaehyun looked_ _around_ _frantically before his eyes_ _settled_ _on the mess Jungwoo was. The art student's body shook as he let his tears spill in silence._

 _Jaehyun_ _gulped and slowly_ _bent_ _down on his knees. Beside him, he rubbed the end of the cigarette on the cement to put it out and left the bud there. Jaehyun was now at Jungwoo's level_ _with_ _the art_ _student_ _hanging his head, trying to empty himself of his salted tears._ _Jaehyun_ _licked his dry lips_ _before_ _opening them and willing himself to speak._

 _"_ _D-Did_ _I_ _scare you?" Jaehyun lamely stuttered. Oddly_ _enough_ _, by then, Jungwoo had managed to stop the flood gates. The skip on Jaehyun's sentence_ _helped_ _Jungwoo_ _calm_ _his heart, as he reminded himself that Jaehyun_ _wasn't_ _a bad person. Not to his knowledge. Jungwoo answered_ _the_ _stuttered question in the air with an equally_ _lame_ _nod as he let his hand fall from his lips._

 _The art student_ _sniffled_ _numerous_ _times as a new set of silence ate at the both of them. Jaehyun looked away from Jungwoo, the art student now_ _trying_ _to compose_ _himself_ _. Jungwoo then sat_ _up_ _and was now wiping_ _his_ _tear_ _stained face_ _harshly_ _with_ _the_ _back of his palms._

 _The tattooed_ _man_ _cleared his throat and Jungwoo looked_ _up_ _to_ _meet_ _the other's_ _sharp_ _and flawless pale profile. Jaehyun glanced at Jungwoo's puffy eyes and felt his_ _heart_ _melt._ _Jungwoo_ _didn't_ _even seem_ _mildly_ _suspicious. This man? With drugs? Jaehyun_ _couldn't_ _picture_ _it_ _._

 _ **"Jaehyun**_ **_said_** ** _he'd_** ** _keep_** ** _an eye on you!! The_** _ **whole**_ ** _gang will!!"_**

 _Jung Jaehyun, 21 year old male_ _living_ _in one_ _Korea_ _'s most run down and unknown provinces. Knowingly, Jaehyun_ _was_ _part of a gang, that was true. Not the kind that was showed up on tv. Not anymore anyway. The difference was that they_ _no longer_ _handle dirty business._

 _They_ _didn't_ _involve_ _themselves with_ _drugs_ _,_ _gambling_ _, anything of the sort. They kept their hands off anything and everything illegal. Just as Taeyong had ordered_ _them_ _to. It had been a change from_ _previous_ _orders._ _Everything_ _had changed a few months ago when the city over_ _got_ _busted_ _for a_ _number_ _of_ _felonies_ _._ _Everything_ _was different now._

 _"_ _Where's_ _Donghyuck?" Jaehyun asked briskly before his mind was consumed with too many thoughts. Jungwoo continued to_ _stare_ _numbly while_ _he waited for_ _his blank mind to start. He blinked and bit his bottom lip._

 _"He left." Jungwoo simply replied._ _Jaehyun_ _frowned and_ _turned_ _to face the art_ _student_ _who lowered his_ _face_ _to the ground._

 _"Okay. How_ _about_ _I_ _take you home?" Jaehyin asked, Jungwoo_ _peeked_ _at him. The_ _tattooed_ _man sighed, "You_ _shouldn't_ _be walking_ _around_ _here alone at night_ _any_ _way." Jaehyun_ _whispered_ _the last_ _sentence_ _more to_ _himself_ _._ _He let his_ _palms_ _fall to his knees and he lifted himself off the uncomfortable_ _position_ _of_ _crouching_ _. Jungwoo_ _followed_ _too, finding_ _balance_ _in his_ _jelly_ _like_ _legs as he stood._

 _The art_ _student_ _gripped his bag to_ _his_ _chest_ _now,_ _his_ _heart_ _doing_ _numbers in_ _his_ _chest_ _in nervousness._ _Jaehyun glanced beside him and nodded for_ _Jungwoo_ _to follow in_ _his_ _step. The art student peered up at Jaehyun past his long lashes_ _, he bit his lip and_ _didn't have any other choice but to oblige._


	40. @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

 

**Tuesday, 9:45 PM**

 

 

_**Noodlehead: Jungwoooo** _

 

 

**_Noodlehead: are you home yet?????_ **

 

 

**_Noodlehead: bbyyYYHHhY_ **

 

 

**_Noodlehead: hey_ **

 

 

**_Noodlehead: Jungwoo??_ **

 

 

**_Noodlehead: are_ ** **_you_ ** **_okay???_ **

 

 

**_Noodlehead_ ** **_: Jungwoo_ **

 

 

**_Noodlehead_ ** _**:** _ **_Kim_ ** **_Jungwoo_ **

 

 

**Dialing** **_Bby Boy♡_ **

 

 

**"You have reached the automatic voice messaging of** **_134******_ ** **who is not available at this time, please leave a** **message** **after the-"**

 

 

**7** **unanswered** **calls to** **_Bby_ ** _**Boy♡** _

 

 

******

  
_The wind_ _was_ _tamed. It was no longer a_ _shaking_ _breeze in the atmosphere that knocked into Jungwoo's frame. It long dispersed into the sky, probably somewhere else. While the wind was gone, Jungwoo_ _was_ _still there_ _. He was there,_ _walking stiffly_ _beside_ _a tall man with tattooed_ _biceps_ _and_ _board_ _shoulders._ _This man had a name. Jaehyun. Jungwoo had almost forgot._

 _Jungwoo held his_ _bag_ _to his chest and fiddled_ _with_ _its zippers. He twiddled and picked at the metal,_ _following_ _close suit as Jaehyun made a turn. It was wordless. Neither had spoken since, what they could only call, 'the incident.' Jungwoo suddenly felt red paint his cheeks in utter embarrassment and the feeling of wanting_ _to_ _melt into the floor bloomed in between his ribs. The art student started to_ _fidget_ _with the zippers more intensely now._

 _The night sky was a dark_ _navy_ _. Just plain, no stars. There probably were stars, but the tall light poles kept them hidden. Instead of the sky illuminating that part of earth, the fluorescent lights of the metal poles led the way down the sidewalk and some of the road. Their walk seemed almost endless. Jungwoo_ _wasn't_ _sure why_ _it_ _felt so long. It was only a 5 minute walk. Perhaps it was the knife sharpening tension that was infected them and the awkwardness in the atmosphere that made it sink in like that. Slow and sluggish. Jungwoo wasn't sure, and it took too much brain power at that moment to think of, so he left it at the back of his mind._

 _They were now 3 minutes into their stiff stroll, having passed numerous small run down stores, abandoned stores and alley ways now. They were closer then before to the tall apartment building. Jungwoo let his_ _eyes_ _wander freely, embarrassment and shame deep in his heart_ _but_ _wonder was taking over his conscious. The art student looked around just as they passed a play ground and started to feel his feet turn slow. The art student had stopped and examined the play ground. Would it even be appropriate to call it a play ground? Jungwoo whispered in his mind._

 _The 'playground' was small. It sat on a bed of an ugly brown sand_ _mixed_ _with the leaves of the couple of trees surrounding_ _the_ _area. It homed a_ _swing_ _set for two. The swing set's stature was metal and thin, almost seeming too easy to break. The seats were wooden and screwed into the chains that fell from the metal pipes of its horizontal spine. The_ _pipes_ _and_ _the_ _chains were rusted, which hadn't_ _surprised_ _Jungwoo. There was a tall slide just as equally unstable, with the steps stained with patches of ugly orange metal and even holes. If you squinted,_ _you'd_ _even notice one of the top steps were missing from the little stair case._

 _Jungwoo felt something. Something odd settled in his ribs. It wasn't_ _unpleasant_ _. It was ecstatic either. It was just there. The art student stared blankly at the play ground. Was it pity? Maybe. It was pathetic, the play ground. Jungwoo_ _couldn't_ _imagine small children running around such a place. A place without life nor neatness. It was almost a_ _hazard_ _._

 _"This was where we held Donghyuck's fifth birthday," Jaehyun spoke. Jungwoo_ _jumped_ _a little to notice that Jaehyun had also stopped in his footing and was standing a good feet away from him. Jungwoo had a clear view of the other's_ _stunning_ _profile as Jaehyun blanked out into the play_ _ground_ _in front of them._ _The much buffer man had a delicate smile gracing his soft lips as he continued to stare. His smile was_ _warm_ _and nostalgic. "He hated it." Jaehyun chuckled at the memory._

 _Minutes passed and Jungwoo hadn't teared his eyes from Jaehyun. The other sighed and turned his head,_ _accidentally_ _meeting Jungwoo's gaze. The art student swallowed_ _before_ _he stiffly_ _cleared_ _his throat and_ _redirect_ _his vision to the play_ _ground_ _._

 _"H-How long have you known Donghyuck?" Jungwoo let his first question slip. Jaehyun laughed under his breath as he watched Jungwoo's figure freeze at what he said. Jaehyun could tell he was over_ _thinking_ _things. That Jungwoo was scared he had asked the wrong question. Jaehyun's small laugh died_ _but_ _his smile didn't as he let his_ _eyes_ _settle_ _on_ _the play_ _ground_ _again._

 _"A long, long time," Jaehyun replied, his deep voice full of contentment. "Donghyuck, Jaemin and Jeno played here when they_ _were_ _little," he continued mindlessly. Jungwoo's ears perked to the new names. "They had always been here. They were always together. They were inseparable." Jaehyun went on. Emotions bled from his words. They were filled with utter love. It was pure. Even though on the tip of his tongue there was sadness. Jaehyun tried not to remember. Jungwoo felt his heart fill itself with the now changed atmosphere. The art student thought about what Jaehyu had said before he mindlessly blurting out another question._

_"Were?"_

_Jaehyun paused in his intake of breath. His smile was beginning to fall and his shoulders slumped only a little before he covered it up bh shaking himself and turning to Jungwoo. The art student_ _gulped_ _and faced him. They both looked at each_ _other_ _._

_"Yeah," Jaehyun spoke, he forced a smile. "Were."_

_There was a moment of silence and Jaehyun's eyes widened slightly as he realized what had just slipped his lips. The man cleared his throat before looking else where. His eyes finding there way to the play ground again. The Jaehyun stared for seconds. His expression softened down to it's mellow setting_ _, a soft exhale leaving him_ _his now parted lips._

 _"Sorry," Jaehyun breathed, "I don't know why_ _I'm_ _telling you this." Jaehyun chuckled a mixture of bitter sweet. Jungwoo looked taken aback to the_ _sudden_ _change of tone and shifted a little._

 _"It's fine." Jungwoo muttered under his breath and let his eyes wander the cement ground of the sidewalk. The art student's_ _picked_ _up on noise of_ _rubber_ _skidding_ _on concrete and peered up._

 _Jaehyun's movements were quick. He shifted his weight back_ _o_ _n_ _his heels and turned on them. Facing ahead as he put the step back into his feet and_ _continued_ _their walk to the apartment building. Jungwoo was startled by the suddenness but nonetheless tried to_ _keep_ _up. And keep_ _up_ _he did, but not without giving the play ground one last look._

 _It wasn't long until the tall and_ _dimly_ _lit_ _building_ _came into view past a couple of branches from trees as they walked_ _through_ _a clearing. The path way seemed to_ _connect_ _with_ _the_ _apartment building's surroundings. Jungwoo had mentally noted_ _to_ _come by next time on his own. The air was cold_ _,_ _and warmth that traveled from all the movement in Jungwoo's limbs some what comforted him_ _as he walked._

 _Their farewell was quick and just as awkward as their first few minutes of the walk. Jungwoo had trotted back into the building with almost every thought_ _filling_ _his mind._

 _That night, when Jungwoo got to his apartment he grabbed a blank canvas and a couple of paint brushes. That night he painted for hours. He painted the play ground he saw. He imagined what it_ _would've_ _been like with a_ _five_ _year_ _old Donghyuck and his friends playing happily in it as he stroked the canvas_ _with_ _his brush._


	41. @@@@@@@@@@@@

_Yukhei was_ _beyond_ _a_ _nervous_ _wreck. He was on the verge of snapping at anyone that got on his bad side. His anxiety was sky_ _rocketing_ _and the loudness of the_ _airport_ _wasn't_ _helping._ _Wong Yukhei was stiffly beside his luggages. His mask pulled up over his_ _face_ _and his baseball cap dipped low_ _on his_ _head. Taeil was_ _only_ _a few feet from him, pacing_ _around_ _on the marble floor with a phone held up to_ _his_ _hear as people passed by him and Yukhei. Most carrying were their own bags._

 _It had been almost an hour they had stood near the drop off gates at the busy airport of Seoul. They stood by a couple of rows of plastic seats that lined_ _up_ _with metal_ _rods_ _underneath them. They were mostly empty. Rows and rows were littered_ _across_ _the_ _airport. Groups of them were huddled near different gates for drop off._ _That part of the airport_ _wasn't_ _full but busy_ _nonetheless_ _._

 _Yukhei shifted his_ _weight_ _and peeked up at Taeil, who was_ _still_ _whispering with irritation coating his words into the phone under his breath. The manager had informed Yukhei_ _that_ _their_ _ride hadn't arrived yet and the model was guessing that was what the manager was muttering through his_ _teeth_ _into the phone. Yukhei turned and looked around. He had his arms crossed over his chest_. _Yukhei gnawed on his bottom lip_ _and_ _felt his stomach turn as thoughts flooded his mind like they had on the plane._

**_Was Jungwoo hurt?? What if there was this poisonous gas leak? That could happen,_ ** **_I_ ** **_mean his apartment building is_ ** **_shit_ ** **_. He probably died in his sleep and wasn't able to pick up the calls....... Wait....What if a gang got him? A gang_ ** **_probably_ ** **_got him. They probably mugged him, they took his phone and everything_ ** **_and_ ** **_left him for dead. What if-_ **

_"Yukhei?" Someone voiced. Yukhei felt his toes curl and the hair on his arms stand to their ends. His eyes bugged out and snapped down to see Taeil eyeing_ _him_ _curiously_ _with a frown etched in concern. Yukhei sighed at the sight and let some of the tension roll off his shoulders. Taeil's frown only deepened before he turned back to his phone._

_The manager muttered something into his call before he said good bye and hung up. Yukhei stared at him as he shoved his phone in his pocket. The model swallowed and parted his lips, daring to speak. Taeil_ _gestured_ _for Yukhei to push the words at his tongue and he did._

_"Can we stop by somewhere instead of going straight to_ _the_ _agncey?" Yukhei almost begged. Taeil breathed in and looked like he was about reject the idea until his was attacked with big brown eyes that belonged to a certain model. "Please.." Yukhei muttered, distress in the word. Taeil stood stone still for a_ _second_ _before_ _he_ _sighed and reached into his pocket for his to make another call._

_********_

_It was_ _Wednesday_ _morning_ _and Jungwoo was hoping to be awakened by the singing of birds_ _outside_ _his window. For the_ _sunlight_ _to bleed through the blinds and comfortably stir him out of unconciousness. However, the birds that morning were quiet and sun was covered in clouds and instead he heard a_ _bang. Multiple bangs. Kind of the sound you'd hear when a fist hit wood. It was hard and loud. It echoed through Jungwoo's walls._

_The art_ _student_ _stirred in his sleep. The cheaply thin blank_ _wasn't_ _able to cover the entirety of his body. His leg stuck out on the side of_ _his_ _mattress. His canvas from the night_ _before_ _was_ _propped_ _up on a stand. The painting was beautifully_ _brushed_ _on._

_A swing set was visible. The_ _canvas_ _had a rusted texture to it, on purpose of_ _course_ _. Jungwoo had sketched on the swing set and later roughly filled it in with a redish brown water color that_ _later_ _bled into the rest of the canvas. The painting hadn't taken long_ _to_ _make, maybe a couple of minutes. Jungwoo_ _had_ _finished late the other night._

_The art student stirred_ _some more_ _in his sheets as other bangs rang. He slowly started_ _to_ _blink his eyes open. He swallowed the dryness of his_ _throat_ _and lifted himself upright on the bed as another knock was heard._

_Jungwoo groaned and sluggishly looked around. First, at his_ _canvas_ _then at his closed bedroom door. The_ _emotions_ _dawned him as he started to remember last night's events. It was a surprise to him that his fogged up brain had_ _managed_ _to give him directions to his_ _mattress_ _before Jungwoo was knocked into sleep. In the past, the art student had found himself waking up in uncomfortable positions on_ _his_ _art stools countless times._

_It was quiet for a few seconds, giving Jungwoo time for his brain to catch up on_ _the_ _sounds that only yelled through his front door for the 100th time that day. Jungwoo sat there and_ _jumped_ _up from the mattress, dizziness_ _suddenly_ _taking him by_ _surprise_ _. The art student brought his hand to his forehead as he tried to see past the black dots that spotted his vision. Once he could see_ _clearly_ _,_ _and the headache that stung like ice was more bearable, he tried to waddle as fast as he could too his door._

_Jungwoo turned the knob and opened it just as another knock_ _was_ _heard. It was definitely his apartment. The art_ _student_ _felt this panic settle in his stomach. Who could it have been? Another question floated in the back of his head but he was too busy leaving the_ _entrance_ _of his bedroom and going down the_ _short hallway_ _to think much._

_The door was endlessly being banged on and that rose a tinge of irritation in Jungwoo's heart. It_ _took_ _seconds for the male's_ _slowed_ _steps to reach the front door. He swallowed back his_ _instinctive_ _panic and_ _proceed_ _to_ _reach_ _to open it._ _The process was quick but what happened next went by like a flash. Jungwoo opened the door and was met with brown eyes embedded with utter worry and brows creased to match the_ _emotion_ _that bled through the taller's orbs._

_There stood Wong Yukhei, in a trench coat and face mask, holding small luggages_ _at_ _his sides which_ _he_ _soon dropped to the sight of Jungwoo's tousled hair and doe_ _eyes_ _. Confusion hit Jungwoo like a ton of bricks. Soon, the luggages fell to the floor and Yukhei's long built arms had reached forward and hooked themselves around Jungwoo's shoulders. He reeled Jungwoo's frame into his chest and_ _buried_ _his face in the crook of Jungwoo's neck._ _The oddness of it all and the puzzlement Jungwoo had felt thinned into paper thin thoughts as Yukhei engulfed him._

_A fresh and minty smell filled Jungwoo's scenes, which he recognized to be shampoo from a hotel or something. The art student was crushed in between Yukhei's powerful arms and his deep_ _warm_ _chest. The_ _art_ _student stood unresponsive for a minute before he could even register what was going on. He felt Yukhei breath him in._

_"Yukhei?" Jungwoo mumbled into his chest. The taller only tightened his hold at the sound his name_ _pass_ _his lips. Jungwoo's shoulders_ _caved_ _in him, this time the art_ _student_ _slowly and_ _uncertainly_ _lifted his arms from his sides and wrapped them around Yukhei's  back. Yukhei let his arms from Jungwoo's_ _shoulder_ _slide down his perfectly curved back to the small of it and moved closer, gathering more of Jungwoo into his chest. The_ _model_ _shuddered and his_ _breath_ _tickled_ _Jungwoo's  neck. The art_ _student_ _felt himself turn feverish._

 _Everything felt lovingly numb. Jungwoo was almost certain his heart had stopped working. It hiccupped childishly in his chest as more of Yukhei invaded him. The art student spread out the_ _palm_ _of his hands of Yukhei's slightly hunched back. Moving them_ _slowly_ _as soothing_ _runs_ _. Despite their calm movements, Jungwoo felt his legs beginning  to turn almost_ _jelly_ _like as he could feel the warmth of Yukhei's lips teasingly_ _brush_ _the_ _bareness_ _on_ _his_ _neck. It was electrifying in the most subtle and numbing pain. Jungwoo loved every second of it._

 _They stood there, at the entrance. Somewhere in between the hallway outside_ _Jungwoo's apartment and_ _the inside of it_ _. The art student_ _gulped_ _and_ _stared at there pretty entangled legs, shifting very slightly._

 _"Y-Yukhei," Jungwoo called out. The art student bunched up the coat on Yukhei's back in his palm to get his attention and_ _nudged_ _him before whispering softly, "Inside," he urged. Now being aware that anyone could see at any moment. Too late that a certain teen did. Jungwoo was too engulfed in Yukhei's embrace that he_ _couldn't_ _see a characteristically known teen for his blinding smile, flee the scene just as fast as he had accidentally entered it._ _The teen had been_ _rounding_ _the corner of the stairs when he had spotted the two and_ _quickly_ _hurried back_ _down_ _._

_That was for another time of course. Jungwoo's mission at that moment was to see why Yukhei had come back this early and why he had him in such a anxiously tight grip_ _._


	42. @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

_"Yukhei..." Jungwoo begged lamely and just as equally lamely tried to push him off as the model began to litter kisses on every piece of skin Jungwoo had uncovered. Jungwoo fisted Yukhei's coat on his back. Yukhei was currently decorating Jungwoo's collar bone with sweet kisses. There was now lust behind them, it was quick and soft. Jungwoo flushed as he felt another plush of Yukhei's unbelievably hot lips_.

_They had_ _brought_ _their chaos inside now. After stumbling into Jungwoo's apartment, their bodies still glued, Yukhei had hoisted Jungwoo up on the lawn_ _table_ _Ten had given him for the_ _dining_ _room. The art student had placed it in the living room though, he had been unboxing his paints and left some_ _there_ _from before_ _. But now_ _wasn't_ _just the paints on the surface, surprisingly, the rackety yard table could hold Jungwoo's_ _weight_ _._

_After_ _the stumbling into his apartment Jungwoo was surprised to have Yukhei release him once the art student had shut the door_ _. Jungwoo was expecting to have a conversation but_ _instead_ _the model went back and wrapped his arms firmly around the art student's waist, earning a unexpecting_ _yelp_ _._

_That was when Yukhei had lifted Jungwoo off the floor, dragged them both off, deeper into the_ _living_ _room and had sat him on the yard table. Yukhei had opened the art student's legs_ _safely_ _fitted_ _himself_ _in between them. And_ _that's_ _where they were_ _now_ _._ _I_ _nstead_ _of talking, Yukhei was peppering_ _sweet and feverish kisses_ _along_ _his neck._

_Yukhei kissed and kissed as Jungwoo pathetically whined for the other to pay attention. It_ _wasn't_ _until Jungwoo felt Yukhei graze his_ _teeth_ _on the tender skin of his neck that the art student patted his back with force._

_"Yukhei." This time Jungwoo spoke firmly. The model slowly pulled back_ _and_ _was met with the_ _hardened_ _eyes that he loved so much. Jungwoo peered up at his lover, he_ _couldn't_ _read him. Not at all. Yukhei's expression as_ _swirling_ _with emotions, Jungwoo felt something churn in_ _his_ _chest and he frowned worriedly. "What's wrong baby?" The art student's cushion soft vocals seemed to wash the tension out of Yukhei's shoudlers because the model slumped forward and rested his forehead on Jungwoo's collar bone in defeat._ _Silence picked up in the atmosphere for a few seconds, Jungwoo still frowning._

_"You didnt answer my calls all night." Yukhei suddenly replied_ _in_ _a small voice. His vocals had shaken and Jungwoo felt_ _guilt_ _flood his system before he_ _unwrapped_ _his arms from Yukhei's back and brought them between them. Jungwoo grabbed the model by the shoulders and pulled him back. They met eyes and the art student almost melted to the sadness and worry sparking in Yukhei brown orbs. Jungwoo sighed, dragging his arms up his shoulders, lightly over the model's neck until he settled them at his cheeks. The model reddened and hung his head. The art student's palms still_ _cradling_ _the sides of his face._

_Jungwoo felt guilty heat swim in his heart and his gently forced Yukhei to lift his head. Which he did, to Jungwoo's soft nudges. They met eyes again and Jungwoo's frown only deepened. His bottom lip was jutted out too. Yukhei didn't tear eye contact but shamelessly stared at his boyfriend with his brown eyes pooling in sick worry and hints of relief. Jungwoo huffed before he let his eyes wonder Yukhei's flawless face as they landed of his lips. Seconds passed, silent seconds of just taking everything. It hadn't been that long since the two had seen each other. It was obvious that they both felt as if it had been an eternity._

_The the moveless seconds were then broken a the art student_ _leaned_ _in and_ _left a soft_ _peck_ _on_ _Yukhei's lips before pulling back._ _They gazed at each other in some dream like fantasy for a few more seconds, Jungwoo now beginning to brush the pad of his thumb_ _across_ _Yukhei's cheek_ _lovingly_ _. The model then let his eyes fall shut and leaned in Jungwoo palm. The worry that infected him to sickly was melted into the ground now. The only thing Yukhei_ _felt_ _was the organ in his_ _chest_ _beating with such power for the human being in front of him._

_"I'm sorry..." Jungwoo trailed with a remorseful smile_ _touching_ _his lips. Yukhei huffed childishly before he let himself slump against the other some more. Jungwoo's hands fell_ _from_ _Yukhei's face once he had slumped and the art student maneuvered his arms down to let them grip onto the clothing at Yukhei's sides. There was a soft sigh that escaped the taller's lips before he collected Jungwoo up in his arms again._

_The model had the art student in_ _another_ _warming_ _embrace._ _Yukhei_ _had his face at the side of Jungwoo's neck as did the art_ _student_ _with the model. They_ _stayed_ _there, in each other gripping hug and reminisced in their lovely silence. Their calming intakes and exhales of breath were the only thing heard beside the hard beating of each of their hearts._

_Jungwoo curled his fingers into Yukhei's coat and sighed deeply, pulling the taller close until there wasn't even a_ _centimeter_ _of space in between them._

_For the_ _first_ _time in_ _his_ _own apartment, Jungwoo had felt some sort of peace. A tranquil feeling that cooked in his chest and heated up his body so gently, he loved it. He loved being in Yukhei's arms, he loved_ _it_ _so much it almost scared him._

_*******_

_"So I was walking with a colleague from the convenience store and he kinda just ditched me? I don't know, he_ _kept_ _saying these things that made no sense. He's kinda a brat to be honest..." Jungwoo found himself_ _explaining_ _,_ _a warm cup of_ _coffee_ _heating his palms and Yukhei's chocolate eyes stabbing_ _him_ _a questioning look past the lifted mug of coffee_ _up_ _to his lips._

_The smell of freshly brewed coffee was in invisible clouds as they stood leaning against the kitchen's rackety counters. Yukhei was across from the art_ _student_ _who was peeking up at him as he fiddled with the mug. The model's brows were_ _raised_ _and he nodded_ _forward_ _for his lover to continue. Jungwoo's gaze dropped to his mug._

_"Well?" Yukhei pressed gently, the art student sighed and bit his bottom lip almost cutely. Yukhei felt his chest ache. He wanted to kiss him. The model swallowed at the thought and felt his cheeks warm but didn't dare take his eyes off his seemingly hesitant lover._

_"Well..._ _I_ _was lost and my phone had died... then I saw this figure in this alley and almost_ _pissed_ _myself but it turned_ _out_ _it was Jaehyun-" Jungwoo stopped mid sentence at the mention of Jaehyun slip his lips. The art student's posture was frozen in realization. Yukhei frowned at the unfamiliar name and felt an ugly_ _feeling_ _settle on his shoulders at Jungwoo's reaction from his own slip up. What was he hiding?_

_Jungwoo had been trying his_ _hardest_ _to keep his lips sealed when it came to the gang and druggies situation at his new neighborhood. The last thing he wanted to do was worry his boyfriend when he had much more important things to stress about. But there they were, Yukgei had only made an unexpected appearance of worry to the words. Jungwoo felt a burning self_ _hatred_ _poke_ _it's way_ _through his_ _chest_ _but he just breathed in and tried to ignore it. The last thing he wanted to be was a burden._

_"Jaehyun?" Yukhei's skeptical deep vocals broke through Jungwoo's troublesome train of thought and Jungwoo only opened and closed his lips as a response. Yukhei leaned at the counter with curious brows as he lifted his mug to his lips and took another sip of his coffee. The sweetness of the coffee's sugar pooled deliciously in his stomach while he waited for Jungwoo to continue._

_"He-" Jungwoo cleared his throat in his sentence, "He may or may not be in a gang-"_

_"A g-gang?" Yukhei stuttered into the mug and pulled it back, coffee dripping off his chin. He wiped it off_ _with_ _the_ _back of his hand as Jungwoo took a worried step forward to help. Once Yukhei had rid_ _himself_ _of the liquid staining his chin his cheeks reddened in embarrassment._

_"Yeah-"_

_"That's fine! Hey,_ _I'm_ _not one of those over possessive boyfriends- you can be_ _friends_ _with whoever Jungwoo..." Yukhei_ _raised_ _his voice to get his point across, not wanting to have Jungwoo think of something completely inaccurate. Yukhei swallowed and set down his mug behind him on the counter, "I-I just want you to stay safe, okay?" Yukgei looked down at Jungwoo with a worried sparkle in his_ _gorgeous_ _eyes and a gentle, reassuring, smile._

_The thickness that haunted Jungwoo above his head dispersed to the_ _sureness_ _in Yukhei's vocals and Jungwoo found himself returning the smile with a_ _relieved_ _one. The art student then nodded his_ _head_ _before he went on the tip of his toes and pressed a small kiss of the model's coffee tasting ones. Jungwoo was going back on the heels of his feet but Yukhei follow his lips and_ _deepened_ _the kiss for a few more seconds before_ _pulling_ _back, scoff_ _escaped_ _Jungwoo lips, but he was still smiling. His eyes even gleamed. Yukhei felt a warm feeling bloom in_ _his_ _chest._

_"So it was Jaehyun? What happened next?" Yukhei asked, his smile never disappearing. Jungwoo clicked his_ _tongue_ _, the sweet smile on his face was now starting to_ _hurt_ _but he didn't care. The art student went back to leaning on the counter behind him before he parted his lips to go on_ _about_ _the_ _previous_ _night's events._


	43. @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

_It was around 10 am_ _when_ _Sicheng_ _came_ _by to_ _pick_ _Jungwoo for that day's courses. During Jungwoo's storytelling, the art student had told the model everything. From Donghyuck and his accusations to the cat that he was to feed. Yukhei had chuckled at that. The model had been utterly mesmerized while the other spoke so animatedly. After the long and breath taking time it took for Jungwoo explain the events leading up to today they had a couple of hours_ _before_ _Jungwoo had to leave for his classes. Yukhei had arrived at 7 am that morning. It was almost 9 when they found themselves sinking into each other's embrace for almost an hour. Now talking about silly nothings._

_Before they got to cuddling on Jungwoo's small mattress though, Yukhei had commented with bright eyes on Jungwoo's innocently sitting canvas he had left in the middle of his bed room. The art student turned a_ _shade_ _of red to Yukhei deep exhale the minute his eyes had landed on the painting._

_"It's beautiful." Yukhei had exhaled dreamily and the art student felt his heart swell. They both had proceeded to sit on Jungwoo's mattress as Yukhei's eyes hadn't torn from the painting. They talked_ _about_ _the painting the first few_ _minutes_ _before Jungwoo found his fingers carding the hairs at Yukhei's nape before he fell on his back to the mattress._ _Yukhei had_ _then_ _tucked his head underneath Jungwoo's chin and laid his ear to the rhythmic drum of Jungwoo's heart. That's they stayed like that for the_ _longest_ _time. Sadly their blissful atmosphere was broken by routine._

_Before leaving, the college student had told the model that he would be going to work immediately after his last course that evening, and it was_ _up_ _to Yukhei whether he stayed or not._ _The model had decided upon at least staying until the art student came back so he could bid him a farewell before work._

_So there he laid Yukhei now. He had his back on Jungwoo's_ _mattress_ _staring at the texture of the ceiling. He was beyond bored._ _Yukhei endlessly replayed the feeling of Jungwoo's warmth in his mind and tried to shut his eyes. When they finally shut he waited for sleep to_ _take_ _him over. It took 5 minutes for Yukhei to realize that a nap wasn't going to come easy. The_ _model_ _let out a_ _border_ _line frustrated sigh before_ _slowly_ _opening his eyes. It was the texture ceiling again._ _Suddenly his_ _thoughts_ _moved to_ _what_ _Jungwoo had told him._

_Jaehyun? His mind_ _repeated_ _the name. Jaehyun. Some possible gang member that had helped Jungwoo home. Yukhei frowned, a_ _part_ _of him was imensely relieved to have had_ _someone_ _walk Jungwoo home in such a neighbor but the other part of him was losing_ _his_ _shit_ _. A gang member? Despite how many time Jungwoo had repeatedly told the other Jaehyun was everything but_ _dangerous_ _, Yukhei wasn't totally sold._

_Yukgei bit his bottom lip and thought hard, was Jungwoo safe here? The possiblities ran in circles as Yukhei thought of nothing and everything at the same time. Maybe he should ask if Jungwoo_ _needed_ _help in getting another place to leave. An ugly worried feeling had been bubbling in the pits of Yukhei's stomach the minute they stepped out of the moving truck a couple of days ago._

_Yukhei groaned suddenly, frustrated and torn in_ _between_ _feelings that burned. The model sat up, the mattress_ _yelling_ _in protest to the sudden movements. Yukhei inhaled and exhaled deeply before he tried to clear his mind. He wanted to meet this Jaehyun._ _Could he go meet him? Yukgei shook his head at the thought. He had_ _no idea_ _of what the guy looked like anyway, it was useless._

_Yukhei sat there, his mind now blank. Only a few minutes passed before the stuffiness of the room_ _further_ _choked him. The idea of leaning on the balcony railings and peering down at the front of the_ _building_ _crossed Yukhei's thoughts. The model then wordlessly agreed to it and stood up to the_ _creekiness_ _of the mattress and strode over to the door._

_The small_ _journey_ _from Jungwoo's room to_ _the_ _living room took less than ten seconds. While those ten seconds, Yukhei spent peering down at the darkly colored and stained carpet to make sure he wasn't stepping on anything that was alive. Even with clearing his_ _mind_ _, the same nagging protest_ _yelled_ _in his ears._

_"Offer him another place to stay!!" It hollered._

_Yukhei frowned as he turned the corner of the hallway and was stepping into the living roon. The sun bled through the sliding doors of the balcony and onto the carpet of the apartment's interior. Yukhei wanted to. He wanted to take a hold of Jungwoo's perfectly fitting palm and drag him from this place but he knew it wasn't his choice. Jungwoo had worked so hard to get a decently_ _stable_ _life_ _on_ _his own, he is working hard by roaming this neighborhood_ _to_ _work and back. Yukhei wasn't in any place to tell Jungwoo how to_ _live_ _his_ _life._

_The_ _model_ _reached the center of the living room, he squinted to the harsh_ _r_ _ay's_ _of the sun that lit up the small space. The yard table sat in the living room still, with knocked off art supplies. It was innocent though. Yukhei_ _swallowed_ _as it mocked him. The scenes replayed in his mind endlessly, the feeling of Jungwoo's hot skin against his. The_ _thoughts_ _made_ _heat_ _crawl up his cheeks. To say he was embarrassed to earlier's events was an understatement. He was boiling in shame. He had practically been dying of worry,_ _the_ _constant_ _reminder of Jungwoo's not so safe_ _neighborhood_ _hadn't helped either. While the worry had stayed tense in his shoulders the minute_ _his_ _eyes had_ _landed_ _on a cute and half asleep Jungwoo at the door, his sickness melted to the ground and the model felt emotionally_ _exhausted_ _._

_Now the same model stood in his boyfriend's living room, peering outside to be met with rusting and possibly abandoned buildings that were equally as tall. Yukhei sighed and took slow steps forward. It was only 3 or 4 steps until Yukhie was met_ _directly_ _with the glass of the sliding door, the_ _model_ _reached over to_ _the_ _handle on the right side before_ _he_ _used all his strength to_ _rench_ _open the heavy door._

_Once he managed to open the metal rimmed sliding door, he stepped out onto the wooden blanks. Careful in his step of course. Yukhei felt_ _around_ _on the blanks, his bare feet met with_ _the_ _morning dew of it. The model breathed in the fresh air and let it cool his_ _lungs_ _. A_ _small breeze_ _blew_ _past his hair, it blissfully bit_ _at_ _his_ _warm cheeks and Yukhei felt satisfaction settle in him._

_It had been silent for only seconds. The seconds he savored were soon shattered by a hearty laugh that emerged from somewhere past_ _the_ _balcony's railings._ _Yukhei frowned and walked further_ _into_ _the balcony to peer down. Now leaning over the railing he could get a clear view of the front entrance of the_ _building_ _._

_His eyes immediately landed on_ _an_ _old woman crouching down on the sidewalk as she watered the plants that crowded around one of the tall trees. Yukhei almost tilted his head in question to see a man beside her peeking down as the woman was determined in on her work. He wore_ _loosely_ _fitted_ _jeans_ _and a tank to go with his_ _tattooed_ _and almost beefy arms._

_Yukhei would never admit to feeling intimidated by him, but he almost was. The man didn't look as tall as him but his stature wa enough to have anyone lifting a brow. The man let out another chuckle, his_ _dimples_ _showed_ _proudly_ _from where Yukhei stood at the balcony._

_"How's Taeyong?" The old woman_ _rasped_ _out with her_ _delicate_ _voice and fixed_ _flowers_ _that were blooming in bushes. The man shifted but his smile_ _never_ _disappeared._

_"Nagging as ever," the man replied, "'Jaehyun this, Jaehyun that!'" The man mocked in a higher pitched voice before letting another content smile fall on his lips. Yukhei's ears perked at the name. Jaehyun? The old woman let out a melody like laugh before she stood up at her feet._

_Now getting a clearly view, Yukhei_ _noticed_ _how wrinkled and old she was. Every movement she made was shakey, despite that her expression bled_ _liveliness_ _and her smile even_ _more_ _so. Her gray and white hairs combed back into a bun at the back of her_ _head_ _, her skin glowed with a beautiful color. It was a lovely sun kissed color even past all her wrinkles and_ _stretches_ _, they woman had this inviting air full of utter charisma. Yukhei was taken aback._

_She was quick to her feet but this Jaehyun was quicker at her side. The minute she had stood to her feet he immediately_ _strode_ _over_ _to her side and_ _held_ _out his arm for her to_ _take_ _. The woman had then muttered a small thank you with an almost toothless smile but her eyes held loving warmth. She lifted her shaky arms and brought them up, she gripped loosely onto his bicep as he began to lead back to the entrance._

_They didn't make it far though. Their journey was stopped once loud foot steps started echoing through marble ground. This spiked the model's curiosity, causing him to further peer down only to see someone exiting the front entrance of the building._

_The woman's smiled didn't fade but was more hesitant at the site of other individual that had just left the entrance_ _out_ _stopped in_ _front_ _of them with a pant. Jaehyun was frowning now. The boy who_ _panted_ _and looked in a hurry was decent_ _in he_ _ight and had messy hair frame his cute face._ _Yukhei only watched the scene play._

_"_ _What's_ _wrong Jaemin?" The old woman asked, the smile still on her face but it was slightly crooked in worry. Jaehyun_ _glanced_ _down at the woman then back at 'Jaemin_ _.' There were_ _long_ _pauses in between Jaemin's heavy breathing._ _Seconds_ _before the younger boy swallowed hard and straightened his posture as he parted his lips._

_"Donghyuck," was all that Yukhei found himself hearing leave the boy's lips before Jaehyun gently lifted the old woman's hand off his bicep and put a sprint to his step as he raced into the building. The old woman wasn't smiling anymore, this_ _time_ _a hardened expression graced her wrinkled features._

_The boy known as Jaemin panted tiredly only for a few more seconds before he_ _loosened_ _his figure. He looked up at the woman and_ _straightened_ _his posture once more before_ _going_ _forward and lending her his arm. She_ _gave_ _him a grateful and weak smile as she reached out let her fingers curl on_ _his_ _bicep_ _and leaned her weight slightly._ _The atmosphere was stiff and unsettling. Yukhei gulped at the blank expression on the woman and worried and almost frightened one of the other younger boy. But it was the elder woman that broke the_ _bone_ _tingling silence._

_"Is it about Jeno?" The old woman rasped, her face firm. The younger boy, who was much taller in_ _height_ _, hesitated a_ _couple_ _of slow_ _moments_ _but nodded anyways._

_Yukhei watched_ _as_ _the two_ _slowly_ _trotted back into the building. Never had Yukhei felt this type of puzzlement choke him. Donghyuck? As the kid Jungwoo had told him hated the art student's guts? Taeyong? As in the Taeyong Jungwoo had mentioned being his_ _manager_ _? And Jaehyun? Was that him? What was this?_


	44. @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

_The model had a lot to tell Jungwoo the minute he got home from his courses that afternoon. Everything had happened so quick that it left an odd feeling in the model's chest. With this in mind, he found himself buzzing around the_ _entrance_ _just as Jungwoo had entered._ _Exhaustion_ _evident in his eyes. The model_ _gulped_ _at that just as Jungwoo let a loving smile fall on his lips. The art student walked forward, closing the door behind_ _him_ _. He stood on the tips of his toes and left a burning peck on Yukhei's lips. He pulled back with gleaming eyes and the model was about to chase after those lips but was just then reminded of what his intentions were in the first place._

_Jungwoo grin deepened_ _and the_ _began to take off his shoes. That was when Yukhei had found the right opportunity and started_ _rambling_ _on. Jungwoo was still in the process of taking off his shoes at the entrance. He was listening nonetheless. His bag was hanging lowly at his palms as he_ _untied_ _his shoes with one hand while the other held onto_ _the_ _model's arm for balance._

_Yukhei let his lips fly as he_ _informed_ _Jungwoo of what happened and how he wasn't sure if it_ _had_ _anything to do with anyone the art student knew. Jungwoo finished his undoing of his shoes and was shocked to hear the words leave Yukhei's kissable lips. Jungwoo straightened and stared at Yukgei has he_ _finished_ _his closing_ _statement_ _, he stared at him ins curiosity and borderline astonishment._

_"Jeno? Jaemin?" Jungwoo_ _gaped_ _, the names Jaehyun had mentioned earlier. Yukhei nodded and frowned._

_"Do you know them?" The model questioned, Jungwoo answered him with the shake of his head_ _before_ _repeating_ _the names under his breath. He looked down to let his mind register this newly found information._

_"Jaehyun. When he walked me home last night," Jungwoo lifted his gaze and was met with Yukhei's, "he_ _mentioned_ _a Jaemin and Jeno...." Jungwoo then trailed thoughtfully, "he had said that they were close to Donghyuck... or at least used to be." Yukhei but his bottom lip and stared off, his mind running. It was odd. This neighborhood was odd._ _Everything about this was unsettling._

_*****_

_With an apron tied around his waist, his body swallowed in an over sized hoodie and silence singing songs in the air, Jungwoo peered along the isles. The convenience store was empty. Instead of a sun kissed teen behind the register, Taeyong stood there counting something off and typing into hid phone. The manager would look away from his device for a few seconds in thought_ _before_ _he typed in something else. That afternoon Donghyuck hadn't showed up to work._ _It made Jungwoo feel uneasy. He tried to ignore it the best he could. Roaming about._

_Instead, it was the maroon haired_ _manager_ _and him sharing small threaded awkward silence. Jungwoo wandered about the isles, his eyes_ _roaming_ _the junk food on_ _the_ _shelves. He mentally read the prices in his_ _mind_ _. Freezing air hit Jungwoo on the top of his head from vent above an isle. The tingling air reminded him of the cozy hoodie that had hugged him. The art student was wearing a dark oversized hoodie underneath that apron_ _._

_Jungwoo felt a smile tug at his lips, since it wasn't his hoodie to begin with. The loose but nicely fitted hoodie on Jungwoo's shoulders_ _belonged_ _to_ _Yukhei. The model had_ _worn_ _it underneath his coat this morning. When Jungwoo was leaving for work, the model had timidly handed him the hoodie with a cute blush on his cheeks. Jungwoo's heart swelled at the memory and his smile widened as he played_ _with_ _the hems of it's sleeves. It smelled like Yukhei and it_ _was_ _almost as warm as him too._

_Rustling from the counter brought Jungwoo back from sweet memories of Yukhei. The art student blinked a couple of times before he turned so spot Taeyong fiddling with something underneath the_ _surface_ _of the wooden counter. The nibbling sweet feeling almost immediately fell into his chest when he remembered that Donghyuck wasn't present. Something_ _burned_ _at_ _his_ _chest as shifted on his feet, a frown etched on his face worriedly._

_Despite all of the unnecessary hate Donghyuck had radiated off him in his presence, Jungwoo felt entitled to be worried about the younger. Somewhere in the art student's heart_ _he felt like he should be there at least. They had only known each other for a day and Jungwoo already felt attached. Jungwoo scoffed in irony before he lifted his gaze and met Taeyong's. Jungwoo_ _straightened_ _as Taeyong greeted him with a smile._

_Jungwoo_ _averted_ _his eyes and swallowed to the question_ _that_ _was laying on the tip of his tongue. He thought and thought. Should he ask? He wanted to. Would he even get an answer? He hoped so. The art student huffed, he eyes of a stack of twizzlers. Jungwoo then- mentally shooed all the rambling thoughts and let his body move on it's own forward. He could feel Taeyong's eyes follow him as he suddenly decided to turn on his heels, he then began a small_ _journey_ _closer to the counter. His eyes very_ _much_ _to the_ _marble_ _floor._

_The art student_ _finally_ _reached_ _the_ _counter and stood a good foot away from it before he finally decided to lock eyes_ _with_ _the maroon haired manager. Taeyong frowned in curiosity to Jungwoo's intentions but stayed silent to the_ _worried_ _glint in his brown orbs. The art_ _student_ _parted his lips and lifted his tongue, Taeyong leaned_ _toward_ _in anticipation._

_"I-Is Donghyuck okay?" Jungwoo asked. Taeyong was blank, his brain processing the concern weaving through the art_ _student's_ _vocals. Taeyong thought, he had thought about everything Jaehyun had informed him this morning. About how Donghyuck reacted. About how Donghyuck_ _left in a stubborn rage. Even about how Mrs. Lee had let him too. It hurt his stomach. Taeyong shooed the sickening worry in the back of his throat._

_Even_ _with such thoughts, Taeyong sent Jungwoo an easy going smile in reassurance, even if it didn't seem as though the art_ _student_ _was bought. Taeyong's_ _stare_ _was hard despite the junpiness of the_ _question_ _the other had_ _just vocalized. Taeyong chuckled, almost forced. Jungwoo frowned._

_"He's fine. Why wouldn't he be?" Taeyong's_ _Adam's_ _apple_ _bobbed_ _but his smile was still_ _firmly_ _on his lips._ _Jungwoo almost_ _shivered_ _at how dead set Taeyong looked as he smiled, obviously_ _hiding_ _something. Jungwoo breathed in and tried to muster the last drops of courage in his chest to form words on_ _his_ _tongue. With a sigh Jungwoo licked his lips and opened his mouth to ask another question._

_"Who are Jaemin and Jeno? Are they okay? Did something happen? Is Donghyuck really okay?" Jungwoo rapid fired the question with underlining nervousness. Taeyong smile had dropped. Instead his expression was decorated it a questionable frown. Taeyong leaned back from the counter. Jungwoo felt like shrinking in himself. He froze and darted his eyes to train them on the counter after he got a_ _glimpse_ _of Taeyong's changed demeanor._

_"How come..." Taeyong trailed_ _thoughtfully, "how do you know Jeno and Jaemin?" Taeyong rephrased his question. Jungwoo_ _blinked_ _and contemplated on what to do. Tell him the truth? What else could he do? A part of Jungwoo was scared to say 'yeah_ _I've_ _been_ _eavesdropping_ _on you_ _guys_ _by accident.' The art_ _student_ _shifted and bit his bottom lip, letting his eyes swarmed different parts of the counter._

_Minutes based of piecering_ _silence_ _as Taeyong almost loomed over Jungwoo. The manager had tried to_ _look_ _as soft as possible despite his spiked caution to Jungwoo's question. He didn't know what Jungwoo knew or why he was so_ _curious_ _but he was also ready to take physical action if Jungwoo were to do anything. Despite all the good aura and kindness the art_ _student_ _had bled since he entered the store, Taeyong had been_ _cautious_ _. Taeyong didn't know if he had been one of them._ _He was never sure who was or wasn't._

_Speaking of them, just as Jungwoo shifted once more and finally peered up at_ _the_ _manager to vocalize whatever came to mind, the bell of the door rang._ _Jungwoo almost_ _fell out of skin as he flinched to the sudden_ _jingles_ _. With_ _wide_ _eyes, he turned his attention to the entrance and almost felt his veins turn cold. Jungwoo_ _glanced_ _at the counter as saw Taeyong's palms tighten into fists at his side._

_In front of the two were a group of 3 tall males_ _with_ _unknown faces. Jungwoo didn't recognize the rough looking individuals. They looked rigid, intimidating. Almost blood thirsty, or at aleast_ _thirsty_ _of something._ _Jungwoo really_ _did_ _physically_ _shrink into himself this time. The art student took big steps back as the group murmured amongst_ _themselves_ _in deep a edged voices. Jungwoo_ _noticed_ _how their eyes were_ _blood_ _shot and they all wore black from head to toe._

_Jungwoo glanced at Taeyong for a split second to notice the_ _hard_ _clenching_ _of his_ _jaw_ _and the_ _daggers_ _embedded in his eyes. A striking_ _chuckle_ _brought_ _Jungwoo's attention to the group again. A lanky one, in the middle, had a definite and mocking smirk as he approached the counter. Jungwoo_ _noticed_ _the hard eye contact the two had with each other, unwavering. Jungwoo felt some_ _fear_ _bloom and he took another step back now that the lanky male was close_ _enough_ _to the counter where his breath fanned Taeyong face._ _Jungwoo swallowed_ _at_ _his_ _dry throat and watched the scene unfold._

_"You're still here." The male_ _mocked_ _. Taeyong didnt respond, but instead, upheld his ice freezing eyes. The male_ _chuckled_ _again, letting the mocking_ _smile_ _waver slightly, "Why are you still here." The male almost growled. Taeyong was still unmoving_ _and_ _silent. Jungwoo's heart was leaping in his throat. Hitting the roof of it every once in a while. The other two stayed snickering amongst themselves, even eyeing Jungwoo's trembling figure. The art student wanted to throw up. All his instincts were telling him too run. But he didn't. Silence stabbed them all, as if the store couldn't have gotten colder. Just a look into Taeyong's eyes, you'd get hypothermia._ _That's_ _what Jungwoo thought anyway._

_The staring contest_ _between_ _two lasted a couple more seconds before the lanky male_ _cocked_ _his head and clicked his tongue, "At least Jeno was smart." He muttered, an ugly smile lifting the corner of his lips._

_Fire almost immediately ignited now in Taeyong's eyes. The hard_ _ice_ _had melted and all there was left was pure utter rage. In sudden and hardh movements, the seemingly 'weaker'_ _manager_ _reached_ _over and_ _balled_ _up the collar of the other's shirt. The male let out a startled choke as Taeyong pulled_ _him_ _close and_ _wished_ _his death in his eyes. The male's demeanor fell and melted into the ground at the sight to the bitter and fury in Taeyong's orbs. The_ _manager's jaw was clenched tight, veins visibly sprouting on his neck._

_"_ _Say his name again, Hendery,_ _I_ _dare you._ _" Taeyong hissed venomously past his gritted teeth. The lanky male's tough face that had fallen never came back, his eyes bled fear as Taeyong suddenly tightened his hold at his collar. The manager swayed his grip_ _teasingly_ _cruel. A livid and iron filled smile_ _peeking_ _up on his lips. Jungwoo felt a shiver_ _dance_ _down his spine, it looked like Taeyong had gone mad. Like he lost his mind. "Smart?" Taeyong proceeded to laugh out humorlessly, "getting locked up for dumb shit actions is smart?" The manager continued to mock. The art_ _student_ _felt his skin crawl suddenly, he was all choked up and_ _couldn't_ _speak a word. Not that his words would help much._

_The air stayed thickly_ _venomous_ _as Taeyong jerked back and let go to the male's collar. The man_ _stumbled_ _back a little into the other two who had been_ _standing_ _in frozen fear the entirety of Taeyong's first movement. The choked atmosphere loomed over all of them. Jungwoo was tense in this muscles as he watched the_ _group_ _make a hurried leave in stumbled steps. Taeyong's piercing eyes followed their every move until they disappeared behind the door. The bell jingled again and it ecohed through the tense air._

_It_ _was wordless for a couple of seconds until Taeyong was heard sighing. The art student flinched at the sound._ __Jungwoo's heart was nowhere near in it's normal beat. Although he_ _ _was no longer feeling this afternoon's lunch at his throat,  his stomach hadn't settled yet. Jungwoo dragged his eyes from the counter and dropped them to_ _floor_ _,_ _admiring the_ _marble_ _of it. There was another set of silent seconds._

_"_ _I'm_ _guessing_ _I'm_ _going to have to tell you now, huh?" Taeyong sounded defeated. Jungwoo then gathered enough courage to peek_ _up_ _. All he_ _saw the sheepishnesss in Taeyong's apologetic grin._


	45. @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

_The model was once more unamused in his boyfriend's apartment. The second Jungwoo had come home he was in a hurry to leave. The art student had even explained how he didn't want to keep one of his old roommates boyfriend waiting. He had explained to the taller it was him giving him rides to the university and from. Yukhei had then asked for the other's name as he watched his boyfriend_ _rummaged_ _through clothes in a box for his uniform._

_"Sicheng." Jungwoo had replied, throwing around random shirts until his face was graced_ _with_ _a triumphant grin_ _to_ _the site of certain shirt. Yukhei had frowned to the_ _Chinese_ _sounding name but didn't comment on it. Jungwoo Jungwoo then stepped back from one of his boxes and grinned at his boyfriend. The taller returned the smile, suddenly mesmerized in his stare. Their conversation concerning Donghyuck was now in the back of the art student's mind as he slowly approached the taller before going on the tips of his toes and giving Yukhei sweet and_ _short_ _peck to his_ _plush_ _lips._

_Yukhei_ _chuckled_ _, he_ _felt heat burn on his cheeks as his grin widened and he_ _lifted_ _his_ _arms_ _at his sides before he gathered Jungwoo in them. Jungwoo responded in a content sigh and melted into the taller's front, resting his head on his_ _shoulder_ _. Yukhei then let his face drop in Jungwoo's soft_ _strands_ _and_ _inhaled_ _all that he could. Trying to note the feeling that filled his heart so he could activate such a sensation when Jungwoo wasn't with the other._

_The two stood there for seconds in blissful numbing love as Yukhei sighed and Jungwoo just further snuggled into the other's embrace. A few_ _seconds_ _went by_ _before_ _Yukhei felt Jungwoo shuffle at his back. The art student had_ _pulled_ _out his phone from his front_ _pocket_ _of his_ _jeans_ _to check the time. The shorter's eyes almost bugged. Jungwoo pulled back from Yukhei arms. Leaving the model with a pout decorating his lips once they met eyes._ _Yukhei frowned and saw Jungwoo give_ _him_ _a_ _gentle_ _and sheepish smile. The taller's childish concern melted._

_"I gotta go Yukhei.." Jungwoo trailed, averting his eyes to floor so he_ _wouldn't_ _get_ _sucked_ _into_ _the_ _model_ _forgoes_ _brown pools. The taller_ _sighed_ _in defeat_ _before_ _he took a small step forward and let his hands find their away to cup Jungwoo's cheeks. The art student's breath hitched as Yukhei lifted his face up to meet eyes. Warmth pooled in Jungwoo's chest at the sight of Yukhei soft smile. The taller let his eyes run_ _across_ _the shorter's delicate features. His eyes went along with the out lines of his almond eyes, down the bridge of his nose to his softly parted lips._

_Jungwoo saw something flicker in the depth of Yukhei's orbs before the taller made the effort to lean down and steal the art student's lips in another kiss. Jungwoo shut his eyes let himself drown into the model. This time the model made sure to deepen the peck. He nipped lovingly_ _at_ _Jungwoo now wetted lips. With closed eyes Yukhei skillfully parted the other's lips. Jungsoo responded_ _in_ _a surprised gasp before Yukhei dove in once more. His tongue now exploring the other's mouth. The art student's brows creased_ _ar_ _the now sweet warmth in his_ _chest_ _turning to daring_ _heart_ _that spread_ _through_ _his body teasingly. Jungwoo tightened the grip on his shirt at his side._

_It had taken almost 14 minutes to successfully pry Yukhei off him. And once the art student did, he himself had to keep the weird feelings that turned in his stomach at bay. The art student had left the_ _apartment_ _in a hurry. Afraid he wouldnt_ _go_ _to_ _work at all if he stayed any longer. And that was when the taller had shyly handed him his hoodie at the entrance before he_ _bid_ _him a fast farewell. Jungwoo had skipped down the apartment building's stairs with this lovingness swarming his in heart and_ _redness_ _kissing his cheeks. He was glad Sicheng didn't question why he had spent so much time in his apartment once the art student had entered the awaiting car at the pavement._

_That was approximately 30 minutes ago. Now Yukhei was bored again. He was bored out of his mind. The model had made a deal with his manager that he'd have this week off. And in return, Yukhei would_ _only_ _focus on work for the rest of the upcoming week. The model wasn't worried about that though. His mind was swirling with_ _thoughts_ _of Jungwoo's safety. This neighbor had always bothered him. So now Yukhei stood in Jungwoo's kitchen, searching the fridge as he thought._

_The model ran his eyes down the water bottles and yogurts in the fridge. His stomach protested in hunger and Yukhei_ _frowned_ _. His thoughts still_ _gearing_ _up. The model stepped_ _back_ _and_ _closed the fridge. He thought and thought. Tonight, he had wordlessly decided. He would do two things. One would be help Jungwoo learn to cook some real food and two would be offer him another place to stay._

_*******_

 

_Approximately 4 months ago_

 

_**I** _ _**t was dark and cold. Almost unbearable.** _ **_The light from near by light poles did Donghyuck almost no good that night chilly._ ** _**Donghyuck swallowed** _ _**thickly and further tightened the thin jacket he had around frame. The freezing night air took another shot at him through the wind but he kept his mouth clamped shut and his eyes wide as it trailed on a familiar back. Donghyuck quickened his step and tried to catch up with the disappearing small figure. Past some establishments, past small buildings, tall buildings of the town he knew too well. His sneakers making no noise on the puddles that gathered in dents in the cement ground.** _

 

_**Donghyuck had been intently following another** _ **_certain teen_ ** _**the entirety of that dark and** _ _**late** _ _**night. The sun kissed boy must've guessed it was already past one in the morning. Not that he cared.** _ _**Donghyuck ignored** _ _**the feeling of his teeth beginning to chatter, gritting said teeth instead. He carefully took steps down a dimly lit alley way now. He wasn't in the slightest bit scared. Why would he be? He had spent 16** _ _**years** _ _**in the same town with the same alley ways. There was nothing to fear.** _

 

_**The feeling that** _ _**stung** _ _**at his chest wasn't fear anyways. It was anxiety. Pure anxiety that what Jaemin had said was true. That Jeno was gone. That's why Donghyuck was following someone. Someone he had just lost, but** _ _**followed** _ _**none the less. He was following Jeno. What did Jeno have to do at 1 in the morning?** _ **_What was Jeno doing in a pulled up black hoodie wandering the streets at this time? Donghyuck knew the answer but he wasn't going to believe it. He couldn't believe it. Something in him wouldn't allow it._ **

 

**_Just then, the sun kissed teen_ ** _**turned** _ _**a corner of the long alley way, missing a huge puddle** _ _**by** _ _**an inch. His toes curled. The teen was currently in his** _ _**pajamas** _ _**and** _ **_some old converses_ ** _**. The** _ _**last** _ _**thing he wanted to do was step in** _ _**sewer** _ _**water.** _ _**Donghyuck felt** _ _**a yawn climb up his throat but he pushed it** _ _**down** _ _**just as he caught sight of the back he had been following all night become clearer.** _

 

_**Donghyuck had his heart leap in** _ _**suddenness** _ _**and he ran back behind the corner of another alley way near by. Donghyuck peeked and saw Jeno cross the dampened street to the other side where a tall abandoned building stood.** _

 

_**Donghyuck watched as Jeno** _ _**examined** _ _**the building curiously. Even lightly knocking on the wooden tiles that boarded up the windows and calling out. The sun kissed teen** _ _**frowned** _ _**. A thick and ugly feeling settling in his chest as Jaemin's words rang out.** _

 

**"He's with them Hyuck." Jaemin had stated, his expression blank and the words feeling numb on his tongue. The usually smiley teen continued his steady pace as he swung on the swing set. The swing mourned out a creaky melody. Donghyuck had stood a few feet from the other, his jaw strongly clenched.**

 

**Jaemin let his shoes dust themselves with dirty sand, his grip on the metal of the set loosened now as the truth dawned him again that night. It was there, a couple of days ago at the play ground, where Donghyuck had mentally decided that he find out the truth** **.**

 

**It had been weeks since Jeno had started** **avoiding** **them. He wouldn't walk with them to school, he'd** **leave** **at an earlier time every day. He wouldn't answer their texts. He wouldn't even answer the door when they knocked. Jeno had shut them out. Donghyuck had tightened the fist at his side before he suddenly turned and kicked sand at** **his** **feet the opposite way from where Jaemin emotionlessly swung.**

 

**The horrid** **creakiness** **stopped as Jaemin halted his movements. The normally smiley boy lifted his head and let his eyes fall on Donghyuck's tense back before they fell to the** **balled** **fists** **at** **his** **side** **. Jaemin parted** **his** **lips to call out softly.**

 

**"Hyuck-"**

 

**"Shut up!" Donghyuck almost screamed. The darkness of the navy sky** **suffocated** **the** **two** **in uncomfortable silence. They both felt a heaviness weigh their chest but** **neither** **spoke of it. Donghyuck started to breath in and out** **heavily** **before he dropped to his knees. His pants dirtying themselves with the sand. Jaemin felt concern yell at him to go to his best friend's side but something stopped him. So he just watched, with his hands now squeezing the metal chains of the swing.**

 

**"Donghyuck-" Jaemin tried again but was interrupted by a handful of sand being thrown from Donghyuck's palm onto the slide** **near** **by. The pebbles of the sand made ugly jingle noises as they hit the** **metal** **of the** **slide, but other wise stayed sickly silent once on the** **ground** **again** **.**

 

_**That night, prior to Donghyuck following Jeno, was the night they both admitted to themselves this was it. Or at least unconsciously, accepted the truth. The sad truth that they had lost Jeno. They had lost their best friend.** _

 


	46. @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

_**junguwu: omg** _

 

_**gaylegend: we don't text in AGES and this is how you greet me??** _

 

_**gaylegend: hmm** _

 

_**junguwu: no no shut up** _

 

_**junguwu: this** _ _**is** _ _**fucking wild** _

 

_**junguwu: how am** _ _**I** _ _**gonna tell Yukhei when** _ _**I** _ _**get home** _

 

_**gaylegend: hold on hold on** _

 

_**gaylegend: boy toy at your place??? Since when???** _

 

_**gaylegend: you don't tell me shit-** _

 

_**gaylegend: so how have y'all been** _

 

_**junguwu: I just** _ _**texted** _ _**him** _

 

_**junguwu: and he left me on read** _

 

_**gaylegend:** _ _**that's** _ _**cute** _

 

_**gaylegend: but what was the omg for** _

 

_**junguwu:** _ _**fuck** _ _**omg** _

 

_**junguwu: so remember that gang** _ _**I** _ _**was talking about???** _

 

_**gaylegend: yeth** _

 

_**junguwu: Taeyong, my manager, he's-** _

 

_**gaylegend: he's???** _

 

_**junguwu: hestheleaderofthatgang** _

 

_**gaylegend: ....** _

 

_**gaylegend: HES WHAT NOW** _

 

_**junguwu: LISTEN LISTEN** _

 

_**junguwu: THERES MORE** _

 

_**gaylegend: BITCH** _

 

_**junguwu: so when** _ _**I** _ _**first started work 3 days ago there was this little brat named Donghyuck who hated my guts for no reason. It turns out, he HAD a reason. Approximately 8 months ago this city over got busted for this big ass** _ _**drug** _ _**trafficking thing and so the gangs and stoners that** _ _**were** _ _**there and were able to flee the scene, spread out. And most of them made it here. Taeyong is the leader and Jaehyun,** _ _**another** _ _**member, is second in command. They've all been cautious and are highkey fighting with the stoners for this place, like the government gave up on this town a long time ago. The reason Donghyuck hated me was because he thought** _ _**I** _ _**was one of those stoners.** _

 

_**gaylegend: OKAY GO ON** _

 

_**junguwu: SO it turns out Donghyuck and his three best friends since childhood, Jeno and Jaemin were caught** _ _**up** _ _**in this mess. The way Donghyuck and his buddies are even linked with Taeyong's gang is** _ _**because** _ _**Donghyuck's grandma took care of Taeyong as a child while his mother worked to feed them. So obviously** _ _**they're** _ _**close. Donghyuck is practically Taeyong's little brother. But anyway, back about 4 months** _ _**ago** _ _**Jeno's** _ _**family** _ _**went into deep debt. So deep that both of his parents had to work 2** _ _**jobs** _ _**and even that wasn't working. So Jeno took matters into his own hands. He had somehow** _ _**found** _ _**himself associated with** _ _**the** _ _**stoners. He was trying to make money by selling drugs. And** _ _**that's** _ _**what he did for weeks. Until the cops found their hide out and they were all arrested. Including Jeno. So Jeno is in juvenile prison as we speak.** _

 

_**gaylegend: BITCH OMG WHAT-** _

 

_**junguwu:** _ _**I'm** _ _**literally** _ _**shaking while** _ _**I'm** _ _**typing this out, Taeyong just told me.** _ _**I'm** _ _**our locker rooms rn. He HAD to tell me. Earlier Yukhei had told me that he over heard a conversation** _ _**concerning** _ _**Donghyuck, Jeno and Jaemin.** _ _**Donghyuck was** _ _**flipping shit today because Jeno was** _ _**finally** _ _**allowed to get visiting hours but Taeyong nor his grandmother would let him go. Taeyong said that Donghyuck wasn't in the right mind to see Jeno again.** _

 

_**gaylegend: wait** _

 

_**gaylegend: you dont think Taeyong will have you dead for telling me right-** _

 

_**junguwu: ....** _

 

_**junguwu: FUCK** _

 

_**junguwu: I DONT WANNA GO DEATH** _

 

_**junguwu: IM UNSENDING ALL OF THAT** _

 

_******_

 

_T_ _here was a knock on the locker room door and Jungwoo almost dropped his phone to the sound. The art student quickly shut off his device and shoved in his apron's pocket just as Taeyong sheepishly peeked in, a hardened and obviously practiced smile curved at his lips. Even his eyes tinkled with something although Jungwoo couldn't quite pin point what it was. The art student returned the smile with a small one. Silence didn't last long._

  
_"Um.._ _I_ _know you might need some time to soak up all that information but the cat needs feeding and_ _I_ _can't leave the counter unattended too long." Taeyong explained slowly, his eyes trailed to the tiled floor._ _Jungwoo fiddled_ _with the front of his_ _apron_ _, they were_ _nervous fidgets before he mumbled a small agreement._

_Words of instruction in the back of Jungwoo's mind reminded him that the bag of food had been placed in a plastic jar stored somewhere in_ _the_ _storage closet sized locker room. The art student's eyes began to wander the_ _premises_ _, Taeyong still peeking past the door that was unable to open all the way due to the short row of janitor like lockers._

_It had taken Jungwoo seconds to find the jar that was originally for pretzels. The plastic jar was bloated with of cat goodies instead. Jungwoo took small steps forward before he bent down beside a stack of empty boxes near a shelf to the left of the door and gathered the torso sized plastic jar in_ _his_ _arms._

_Taeyong then proceeded to  awkwardly take a step back from the_ _door_ _, holding it open for the other. The art student slipped through the door way, giving Taeyong a small nod in thanks to_ _which_ _the manager returned_ _with_ _another forced smile. It took less than 5 steps for Jungwoo reach the door. The art student turned around and pushed open the door with his back._

_Jungwoo sighed at the sight of the sun still gleaming_ _brightly_ _behind_ _gathered clouds in the grayish sky. He still had hours left. Now knowing all about the gangs and druggies, Jungwoo couldn't help but feel more_ _unsafe_ _than before. Despite his light hearted texts with Ten, deep in his stomach there was a_ _stone_ _that weighed with worries. Jungwoo wanted to quit. He wanted to move out._

_The art student's mind fled in different directions as he stepped away from the door and let it swing shut. Jungwoo bent down on his knees and set the quite heavy jar on the cement of the side walk and neared the two bowls_ _lined_ _up at the side of the establishment. Jungwoo sighed, trying to think of other_ _places_ _he could move to as he twisted the lid off._

_Jungwoo, once again, gathered the large jar to his chest and began to carefully_ _pour_ _it in the metal bowl meant for food. With a watchful eye he stared at the pebbles of food fall rightfully in the_ _confinements_ _of the bowl's metal_ _rimming_ _. Once it was filled up_ _decently_ _,_ _Jungwoo lifted the jar upward. The art student was about to go a reach to set the jar down so he could twist the lid back on but something stopped him. It_ _was_ _a meow. Jungwoo frowned and turned, the jar_ _at_ _his_ _chest still._

_Jungwoo's eyes fell to the ground and spotted a large white spotted gray and_ _patterned_ _cat with bored eyes sitting on the pavement. The car stared endlessly into Jungwoo's eyes and the art student was almost scared to look away. Just then a_ _voice_ _spoke._

_"That's her." Taeyong was heard chuckling. Jungwoo snapped his neck to the entrance to see Taeyong was staring off at the ball of fur as he leaned at the door way, one side of him inside the store and the other out._

_The art student blinked and tried to think of how he hadn't heard the loud jingle and metal squeaks of the door opening. Taeyong chuckled again, this time at the expression of shock Jungwoo held. The art student_ _swallowed_ _and turned back to the cat just as she_ _yawned_ _and stretched out her limbs before she passed Jungwoo's legs to her bowl. She let her body rub againdt Jungwoo's shins,_ _leaving_ _little hairs stuck on his pant leg as he watched her reach her bowl and_ _begin_ _to lazily nom on her food._

_"She's...." Jungwoo started but never finished, staring almost dumbfounded at the sluggish cat swallow before diving back into her food. The art student had expected a_ _vicious_ _cat. A cat with evil in it's eyes and hatred in it's soul. A cat that needed a lot of_ _food_ _so it could have enough energy to take revenge on anyone who laid eyes on them. Instead, Jungwoo was peering down at_ _anything_ _but_ _that. Taeyong sighed_ _suddenly_ _and Jungwoo peeked at him._

_"She was Jeno's cat." Taeyong spoke, turning to meet_ _gazes_ _with Jungwoo. The manager gestured at the cat with his chin, plastered with a smile again. The art student blinked at the sudden eye contact before he exhaled a soft 'oh.' Jungwoo felt his eyes fall back to the_ _cat_ _who was almost done with her food. Silence_ _hugged_ _them. The_ _sound_ _of_ _pebbled_ _cat food scratching and making contact with the metal bowl swam in the air._ _Jungwoo just_ _stared blankly, as if it was the most interesting thing._

_"I'm glad you came by Jungwoo..." Taeyong spoke into the air, Jungwoo glanced at his_ _manager_ _to see him leaning frame, arms crossed now. His eyes wandered into the_ _thinness_ _of_ _the_ _air, no aim at anything. The art student felt something shift in the atmosphere but didn't want himself to acknowledge it. Taeyong_ _breathed_ _before he let a sad creased smile fall on his lips, it softened his eyes. "Sorry about earlier." Taeyong then swallowed, Jungwoo's eyes hadn't left his profile. "Don't worry about those guys,_ _I_ _won't let them hurt you." His word stood firmly like cement blocks. The confidence in his voice brought some sort of ease to Jungwoo's anxiously whispered thoughts._

_Jungwoo breathed out sigh and had hoped that he could put faith in Taeyong's words._


	47. @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a reminder I update twice every weekend :)

_Approximately 4 months ago_

  
_**"**_ ** _No one followed_** ** _you_** ** _right?" Donghyuck barely heard a voice rasp out._** ** _ ** _The voice had emerged from a crack in between the boards the blocked the broken window._**_** ** _Even from the distance that occupied where Jeno shifyed on his feet and where Donghyuck hid behind a corner, the sub kissed boy could still hear._** ** _Donghyuck could_** ** _clearly hear them through the hollow night._**  
  
**_The sun kissed boy peeked past the brick corner. Jeno stood in front of one of the cracks in the woods that boarded up on the large window frames without an actual window. The night was even more empty than before. Jeno groaned and looked around in the_** ** _dim_** ** _light of the street poles. The younger boy shifted his feet and scanned his_** ** _surroundings_** ** _. An alarm went off in Donghyuck's mind and he ducked completely behind the corner of the building just as Jeno's eyes landed there. The sun kissed cursed under his breath silently, his heart now leaping in his chest as_** ** _silence_** ** _swam._**

 ** _He gritted his teeth, hoping Jeno hadn't seen him. The_** ** _wordless atmosphere_** ** _remained, thicker now._** **_It was seconds, Donghyuck only hear the beating of his heart in his ears as he tried to listen in. There was no footsteps, no words, no nothing. Donghyuck_** ** _gulped_** ** _and leaned back_** ** _on_** ** _the brick wall of the_** ** _building_** ** _, anxiety swimming in his chest._**

**_"Yeah," Donghyuck_ ** **_heard_ ** **_Jeno voice, scratches of the bottom of his shoes scraped the cement on the ground as he turned, "just me."_ **

**_*****_ **

**_"You're unbelievable," Donghyuck hissed. It was cool that afternoon at the playground. The trees the crowded the area. Looming their branches over the three teens, lending them shade in their tense atmosphere. Normal Saturday afternoons like these were usually spent messing around._ **

**_Jeno, Jaemin and Donghyuck spent their usual weekends enjoying each other's company. Running around the neighborhood, finding new places to vandalize, making jokes about teachers at school, sharing silly secrets. Except this weekend wasn't normal. Nowhere near. Instead it was hot, despite the shade, there was nothing to shield Jeno from Donghyuck's boiling_ ** **_gaze_ ** **_._ **

**_They stood there stiffly, those three. There was a good distance between them in the middle of the play ground._ ** **_Donghyuck had_ ** **_his arms crossed and Jaemin was beside him, admiring the ground. The boy with his eyes deeply invested on the sand of the ground had hoped, that by chance, the ground would split open and swallow him. To eat him and throw him somewhere else. Somewhere in the world that kept him away from there. It hurt, all of it did._ **

**_The atmosphere didn't lighten, even_ ** **_with_ ** **_the_ ** **_singing_ ** **_birds. Jeno stood across from the others too, a frown creased his features._ **

**_"What the fuck are_ ** **_you_ ** **_talking about Donghyuck?" Jeno practically spat out, Donghyuck scoffed at that._ **

**_"What am I talking about?" The sun kissed boy laughed humorlessly as Jaemin tensed and Jeno_ ** **_gritted_ ** **_his teeth. Donghyuck's laugh lasted a few seconds before his fake smile faded followed by_ ** **_giving_ ** **_Jeno a bitter glare. A glare that he_ ** **_tried_ ** **_to make sure covered the utter_ ** **_sadness_ ** **_that accompanied it. "Last night. I saw you," the teen was glad he voice hadn't cracked._ **

**_They all stood frozen, the sound of the harmonizing birds were heard in the distance. In any other circumstance, the setting_ ** **_would've_ ** **_been considered calming. The breeze was sweet and mixed_ ** **_with_ ** **_the_ ** **_trees as it blew them around. The swing sets were slightly moving but not enough to make a sound. Cars were easily heard riding the streets. Even the local people and their conversations_ ** **_were_ ** **_heard, muffled and incoherent, but there. But instead_ ** **_of_ ** **_a tranquil_ ** **_emotion_ ** **_settling on the teens, it was stiff and cracked. Everything was falling apart._ **

**_"I-" Jeno started but stopped himself. He looked down at the sadness of his shoes and pebbles of the sand beneath them. Donghyuck knew. Jaemin knew. They knew. The younger male felt sick. They were disappointed. Of course they were. They probably hated him. Who would want to be associated with him now? He didn't even want to be near the other guys in the beginning but there he was now, doing dirty work. This was the end of everything. Jeno_ ** **_had_ ** **_his throat go dry at those thoughts._ **

**_"Why?" Donghyuck suddenly asked, his voice softened. Jeno lifted his gaze to meet Donghyuck's broken one. Jaemin was still_ ** **_silent_ ** **_but his heart was in his chest, rattling. He was trying hard to bite back tears. They were disappointed. Jeno knew._ ** **_Instead_ ** **_of taking Donghyuck's gentle gaze as a sign of good nature he felt sudden rage. They didn't have the right. Neither of them did. He was mad they were disappointed. He was mad they thought they could change anything._ **

**_"Neither of you would understand." Jeno muttered. Jaemin's ears perked as Donghyuck huffed in disbelief, his demeanor not fully changed but almost._ ** **_There was another uncomfortable wave of silence. All three of_ ** **_the_ ** **_teens seemed to soak it in,_ ** **_almost_ ** **_drowning even. They were all scared._ **

**_"Jeno." Jaemin had finally spoken, the other teen felt a shiver run up_ ** **_his_ ** **_spine to the coldness behind his name. The usually smiling and bright boy lifted his head to reveal a pursed lip and creased brows_ ** _**, there were c** _ **_rystals_ ** **_in his eyes. Jaemin was trying so hard not to cry. Jeno felt a sick heat guilt him into looking away from Jaemin's tearful gaze. Memories flashed through his mind. The secret glances they threw at each other, just him and Jaemin. The time Jaemin almost kissed Jeno during freshman year. The whispered giggles that only him and the_ ** **_other_ ** **_shared. Jeno could hear his heart audibly break at the_ ** **_shuttered_ ** **_inhale Jaemin took before he spoke again. "Don't," Jaemin swallowed a sob, "Don't go back, please."_ **

**_Donghyuck stood in fear of saying the wrong thing. Which was odd. His lips usually moved faster than this mind did. Just as the sun kissed teen had become hesitant, Jeno let out a groan. The last person he wanted to disappoint was disappointed in him. Jeno felt anger towards himself, towards everything. Why did it have to_ ** **_be_ ** **_this way?_ **

**_"Just," Jeno began, his fists tightening at his sides, "Don't come near me anymore." The other finished. Jaemin breathed out, almost in a small sob and he quickly brought his hand up to his mouth. Keeping the pathetic sound inside._ ** **_Donghyuck saw_ ** **_red. Utter rage filling him fully at the sound of_ ** **_despair_ ** **_Jaemin had almost let slip. This time the sun kissed teen didn't think. He just acted._ **

**_Donghyuck took_ ** **_hard and weighing steps_ ** **_forward_ ** **_. Lifting his arms at his side to reach up before he harshly gripped_ ** **_onto_ ** **_the collar of Jeno's shirt. Donghyuck yanked him forward, snarling in his face. Jeno felt something bubble in him too. His hands gripped onto Donghyuck's as he balled the front of his shirt. Their eyes met, both were stone. Donghyuck stood his_ ** **_ground_ ** **_as did Jeno. It was almost suffocating. The only sound that was heard was Jaemin's silent sobs behind them._ **

**_Donghyuck hadn't punched Jeno. And Jeno hadn't touched Donghyuck. That afternoon they had left the_ ** **_play_ ** **_ground in stiff silence and ugly glares, Jaemin's eyes only tear ridden still. There was no malice in them towards Jeno, which only made Donghyuck stir up more_ ** **_hatred_ ** **_for the other._ **

**_It was that night,_ ** **_in_ ** **_the hollowness, that Jaemin and Donghyuck woke_ ** **_up_ ** **_to someone shaking their shoulders._ ** **_Jaemin's mom_ ** **_had woken him in frantic yanks._ ** **_Mrs. Lee had her delicate thin fingers gripping Donghyuck's arms as she told him what had happened in a shaky voice._ ** **_**_Hours_ ** _ ** **_**_after_ ** _ ** **_**_the three had parted ways, Jeno was taken._ ** _ ** **_Officially taken from them._ **

**_That night, with the sound of sirens filling the emptiness of the navy sky, they found out._ ** **_Donghyuck and_ ** **_Jaemin woke up to the_ ** **_news_ ** **_that their once close friend was taken under custody._ **


	48. @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

_It was a slow and boring Friday afternoon. Donghyuck still hadn't made an appearance at work. It_ _was_ _almost bothering Jungwoo at this point. He had to_ _double_ _the work while Taeyong stayed at the counter the majority of shifts.  Besides that there was still and concerning_ _stung_ _at his chest_ _when_ _he thought of the teen. He_ _kept_ _it to himself though. He had completely_ _forgotten to ask where Donghyuck was why he was missing so many days, his mind was too busy buzzing with out thoughts._

_Other than that,_ _Jungwoo had_ _easily_ _gotten used to the routine by now. Wake up, kiss Yukhei good morning, got to classes, come back, kiss Yukhei good bye, go to work, come home and kiss Yukhei good night._

_The model had explained that he had the rest of the week free and had planned to stay as close to Jungwoo as possible. Which meant practically living in Jungwoo's apartment. The art student almost felt apologetic. Despite only ever having time to be with his boyfriend at night, Jungwoo was happy. He couldn't exactly say the same for Yukhei though. There seemed to be an itching thought flashing through the model's eyes everytime Jungwoo_ _would_ _leave or comeback._ _Something_ _wanted to pass his lips but he held his tongue._

_Jungwoo hadn't_ _brought_ _it up,_ _he_ _didn't know how. In that span of 2 days the art student had decided_ _that_ _he wasn't planning to move somewhere else. Where would he go? Besides, Taeyong, a leader of a gang, was dead set on keeping Jungwoo safe. That thought alone only helped Jungwoo sleep better at night, well other than having a big_ _goof_ _of a boyfriend as your heater and cushion._

_Yes, the two had slept every night cuddled with each_ _other_ _._ _Sometimes they would spend almost an hour before bed just talking or maybe not. Who knew. Jungwoo would more often than not end up playing with Yukhei's fingers_ _until he dozed off._ _Jungwoo would thread_ _and_ _unthread_ _the long fingers_ _through his own, rubbing_ _the_ _model's palms_ _with_ _the_ _pads_ _of his thumb; even drawing patterns lightly over the_ _inside_ _of the model's hand. They spent 3 nights falling asleep one way or the other. It felt like a dream. All of it did. It was almost too blissful._

_The_ _first_ _time, that Wednesday, Jungwoo had come home he was surprised to be met with this enticing smell that drew_ _him_ _to the kitchen. There Yukhei was in an_ _apron_ _over a boiling stove. And there Jungwoo's kitchen was, every available counter space had been occupied by a plastic bag. Jungwoo had felt his stomach rumble._ _The model then explained that he went shopping with his_ _manager_ _while he had been away. Yukhei commented on how he_ _noticed_ _the emptiness of Jungwoo's_ _fridge_ _and put it_ _upon_ _himself to cook something._

_And it was that night that_ _Jungwoo hadn't forgotten to inform Yukhei of everything Taeyong had told him earlier that day. It was after the delicious dinner did he spill everything. The words had come tumbling out of his mouth so fast Yukhei needed time to register it all. Despite telling Yukhei most of what happened, Jungwoo left out exactly how it had happened. He never once mentioned that prior to Taeyong's long story that a couple of bad looking guys with the aura of trouble had come in to pick a fight. Jungwoo didn't want him knowing, he didnt want to put Yukhei in a position of worry when he was almost sure it wasn't going to happen again._

_And besides_ _all the new discoveries, that was_ _how Jungwoo had_ _ended_ _up with traditional thai stew in his stomach, but that was when Jungwoo noticed. After Jungwoo shared what he could only describe as Donghyuck's sob story, he felt_ _something_ _was off. He noticed Yukgei bit back at a spoonful of the stew. He was going to ask later on,_ _but_ _the_ _past_ _few days he had been there Jungwoo had become so busy. Paying_ _bills_ _, working, classes. Everything was weighing him down. It had occurred to Jungwoo one night, cuddled up on the mattress to ask Yukhei a question._

 _"What do you do while I'm gone all day anyway?" Jungwoo yawned, his eyes squinted and collected with water. The_ _teariness_ _blocked his view but Jungwoo continued to trace the visible_ _veins on_ _the back of Yukhei's hand_ _that_ _engulfed his own. It was almost 10 pm that night, not that either cared. They were both each other's feverish_ _warmth_ _underneath_ _Jungwoo's thin cloth_ _of_ _a blanket._

_The art student's head had been laying comfortably on the model's chest. Jungwoo was curled up beside the other so sweetly. The college student savored the rythm of Yukhei's heart beat._ _Yukhei thought_ _out a sigh, his eyes wandered the_ _dimly_ _lit room, a single candle whispering a flame off on one of Jungwoo's canvas stands._

_"I actually made friends with the old lady that waters the plants... Donghyuck's grandmother, was it?" Yukhei questioned. His chest buzzed to the words and_ _relaxed_ _Jungwoo's frame, the smaller replied tiredly with a hum and cuddled further into the warmth that radiated off the board chest beneath him. Yukhei frowned thoughtfully. "I talk to Jaehyun sometimes."_

_"Yeah?" Jungwoo responded, fluttering his eyes open. He hadn't even noticed they had fallen shut._ _Yukhei had_ _mentioned speaking briefly with Jaehyun the day before, Jungwoo didn't mind though. Just like now, exhuastion was too busy eating at him. The art_ _student_ _felt another yawn_ _try_ _to_ _bite him, he stirred instead._

_Yukhei peered down past his nose to the top of Jungwoo's head before he lifted his free arm at his side and began to comb his long_ _fingers_ _through Jungwoo's locks. The art student let his_ _eyes_ _fall shut,_ _utterly_ _limp against the chest underneath him as he hummed out sweetly. Yukhei chuckled at the pout he could tell was forming on the other's face and continued to fondly pet his lover._

_Along with the loveliness that came along with Yukhei, Jungwoo was reminded of_ _his_ _project. It was this Saturday that he would go back to his art class to collect his canvas and grade. The art student was anticipating it._ _Jungwoo had_ _heard from other students that on_ _rare_ _occasions Mr. Wu would contact his student and speak about the project. Jungwoo never got around to asking whether the things discussed were negative or positive._ _Jungwoo was_ _just_ _nervous._

_This nervousness brought him back to his yearning of Yukhei's warmth._ _Jungwoo_ _couldn't_ _wait to go back to those arms. He always looked forward to it at the end of each day. He knew it was going to come to an end soon but he loved it too much. He was waiting again, that boring and uneventful afternoon. He was waiting to go_ _home_ _and fall asleep in Yukhei's arms. He was waiting to talk with him for hours. He knew this dream wouldn't last long. That's why it was a dream_ _,_ _but_ _he_ _honestly_ _couldn't have cared less at that moment._

_*********_

_Making friends with the old woman that watered the plants outside was probably one of the best things Yukhei could've done at Jungwoo's_ _apartment_ _._

_"You see this?" The woman hummed, a satisfied smile stretched_ _the_ _wrinkles_ _on_ _her face. Her shaky and withering finger pointed down at an innocent green plant that looked like a regular weed. Yukhei frowned but nodded. The sun was unreasonably strong that mid afternoon of a_ _Friday_ _, it hadn't been long since Jungwoo had_ _left_ _for the store. The model wasn't about to be bored out of his mind again so he decided to skip down_ _the_ _steps of the building down to the entrance. Elevator was out of order again but Yukhei didn't mind putting_ _in_ _the extra exercise._

_It wasn't odd how Mrs. Lee and Yukhei had met. It was the Wednesday that the model had ultimately decided to cook for the other. Their_ _encounter_ _bloomed at the minute Yukhei exited the parked black van by the pavement in front of the apartment_ _building_ _. The model had a his mask on, per usual, and carried a couple of bags of vegetables as he left the van behind. Taeil struggled in the_ _trunk_ _trying to fish out the other groceries._

_Mrs. Lee was there, watering her plants calmly_ _and_ _watched_ _as a carrot had_ _slipped_ _out of one of Yukhei bags. Before he could even make it past the entrance of the building the woman had feebly called out. This gained Yukhei's attention and after her help, it wasn't difficult to start conversation with her. She had even asked what all the food was for, and he had simply replied with curled smile and with the words 'for my boyfriend' slipping his lips. She only responded in gentle coos._

_"This is a weed." She explained, Mrs. Lee smacked her lips, a_ _habit_ _she had, before groaning and reaching down. Her palm wrapped the stem as she yanked it out. Yukhei's frowned hadn't disappeared. He watched as the older woman lifted the weed up to his vision, him being almost a foot_ _taller_ _than her. The roots were_ _grumbled_ _with chunks of the earth, and stem was bright green. She cleared her throat and Yukhei went back to looking down at the woman. "Weeds aren't good for the garden," she started._

_"Yeah..." Yukhei hummed and_ _followed_ _her as she moved a little bit off to the right_ _where_ _her bushes laid. On the cement side walk near the bushes was a straw basket with millions of picked weeds. Yukhei's eyes bugged_ _t_ _o_ _the sight once he got a_ _clear_ _view. Mrs. Lee was wordless as she tossed the weed in_ _her_ _hand and let fall in with the rest of the stack._

 _"Weeds," she chuckled, "they ruin a garden but have the potential to make something beautiful." She rasped out before almost struggling to bend down. Yukhei felt panic and_ _rushed to the elders side. He latched his big palms around her bicep to keep her_ _steady_ _and_ _she bent_ _down_ _to sit on_ _her_ _fragile knees. She chuckled a thanks once she made it to the cement in a secure_ _position_ _. Yukhei followed suit, sitting_ _beside_ _her on his knees as well. He watched as her shaky arms went and_ _reached_ _for the light weight basket. She_ _managed_ _to_ _grip_ _a couple of weeds in her palm before she_ _took_ _them out and started to dust them off. Yukhei thought_ _for_ _a while before he spoke._

_"Beautiful?" He questioned, his head titled almost in puzzlement. Mrs. Lee sighed_ _with_ _content and felt her heart warm once she peeked at Yukhei's innocence. She smiled and went back to cleaning off the bundle of weeds._

_"With these," she moved the weeds clearer in Yukhei's view, "_ _we_ _can make these,"_ _Mrs_ _. Lee pulled down her_ _sleeve_ _of her other arm to reveal her soft_ _tattered_ _skin wrapped with a gorgeous braided green leaf like bracelet. Yukhei stared at it, his mind blank for a while until it_ _clicked_ _. The weed. The burdensome weed that ruined gardens. Mrs. Lee had made into something. She had made it into_ _something_ _beautiful._


	49. @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

_When Yukhei had said him and Jaehyun talked he meant they had greeted_ _each_ _other. That was all, nothing more nothing less._ _Jaehyun had_ _come by a couple of times a day to see Mrs. Lee watering her plants. Yukhei was there helping her everytime. Yukhei felt rather comfortable with the both of them. It had dawned him, that_ _Friday_ _after noon, after Mrs. Lee had showed him how to thread some weeds together, that he had never really seen Donghyuck._

_He could only identified the young teen by his name what the things Jungwoo had_ _explained_ _he had done. He wasn't very fond of him_ _simply_ _based on the fact that he had treated Jungwoo so poorly. But of course, he had kept it to himself. It was just weird, Jungwoo had said Donghyuck lived with his grandmother. Why hadn't he ever seen him in_ _these_ _past couple of days?_

_Yukhei train of thought was put to a halt just as he heard something off in the distance._ _It had been just then that Jaehyun arrived, he rounded the corner of the building with a bright smile. Yukhei's ears had perked to the sound of foot steps. From_ _his_ _kneeling position beside Mrs. Lee, tbe model peered_ _behind_ _his shoulder to spot the_ _tattooed_ _male. He wore a loose t shirt and a pair of jeans, but his arms were revealed and gleaming under the sun's rays in their inked glory. Yukhei's eyes moved up and noticed how Jaehyun's smile never disappeared as he neared._

_The male finally made it to_ _the_ _two. Though Mrs. Lee was too concentrated in her bracelet_ _making_ _to pay attention to the young man that had begun to teasingly loom_ _over_ _her_ _shoulder._ _Yukhei's orbs went back to Mrs. Lee's fingers just as she tightened a knot on the_ _strips_ _of weeds._

_"Hey Jae," she called, her eyes never leaving the bracelet she threaded on her lap. Yukhei then peered up at Jaehyun who had locked eyes_ _with_ _his. The other nodded in a greeting and the model returned it with a small grin of acknowledgment before going back to the sight of Mrs. Lee's_ _wrinkled_ _fingers weaving together the green strips._

_"Hey," Jaehyun sighed, the smile infected his entire mood. It took small movements but soon he was taking a seat on the other_ _side_ _of Mrs. Lee. The elderly woman was heard letting out a knowing chuckle as she finished up her bracelet. The model glanced between the two curiously, Jaehyun's dimpled smile never wavered as he dreamily stared at the bracelet in Mrs. Lee delicate fingers._

_"Why are you so happy today?" She croaked with a honey smile. Despite not having seen Donghyuck, Jungwoo had told him about the teen's unbelievably gorgeous sun kissed skin, so it was to no surprise_ _that_ _the woman before Yukhei was Donghyuck's grandmother. She also mirrored a_ _honey_ _glow, despite her skin_ _being_ _tattered and_ _wrinkled_ _from age._

_Jaehyun looked away_ _from_ _her_ _lap and hummed happily,_ _sighing_ _almost_ _in sweetness. Mrs. Lee clicked her tongue but there_ _was_ _still a smile on her face as she parted her lips to_ _speak_ _again._

_"Is it_ _that_ _Doyoung boy you've talking about?" Mrs. Lee laughed lowly in her throat. Jaehyun's wandering eyes ran over Yukhei's before he gaze landed on Mrs. Lee's. As if Yukhei thought other's grin couldn't get any wider._

_"Perhaps..." jaehyun trailed teasingly and the elder woman replied_ _with_ _the roll of her eyes before she turned to Yukhei. The model straightened his slouching form in attention as she placed the now finished bracelet in_ _his_ _lap, gesturing silently for him to take it. Yukhei felt himself go slightly red and whispered multiple thank yous as he held the bracelet so gently in his much bigger palms. Her eyes gleamed in fondness at the model. His innocence never failed to make her melt. Mrs. Lee then cleared her throat before turning back_ _to a_ _still_ _widely smiling Jaehyun._

_"So?" She pressed for Jaehyun to go on._ _The_ _tattooed_ _released a blissful sigh._

_"We're going on a date this weekend." Jaehyun's eyes sunk in just as he cheeks perked a smile too wide thay it stretched his face. Yukhei_ _felt his own face hurt just at the sight. Mrs. Lee grinned, leaning toward the_ _tattooed_ _man_ _beside_ _her before she_ _lifted the arm at her side. She then_ _proceeded_ _to lightly punch Jaehyun's bicep. The male let out a playful whine and her grin only widened._

_"Attaboy!" Her hoarse voice exclaimed, Jaehyun only returned her enthusiasm with a_ _heart_ _felt laugh. Yukhei felt his face peak_ _with a_ _small smile at the interaction._ _Silence settled on the three before Mrs. Lee went forward and gathered a bundle of weeds. The_ _two_ _boys watched as she split the big bundle into two pairs of different strips. She chuckled and tossed each pair on both of their laps. Yukhei watched the_ _dirt_ _of the weeds stain his_ _jeans_ _and thought to himself of how Taeil would be giving him an earful now if he saw._

_Jaehyun didn't say anything but only replied with a grin and_ _started_ _the process of dusting off_ _the_ _strips. Yukhei_ _blinked_ _a_ _couple_ _of times. The model cleared his throat and watched Jaehyun finish cleaning_ _off_ _the strips with his palms. Yukhei did the same and tried to recall what Mrs. Lee had taught_ _him_ _. During the learning process only about 30 minutes before Jaehyun had made an appearance_ _,_ _Yukhei had_ _asked why._

_Why did she had spent her time, gardening at all. Her response wasn't too hard to understand. Gardening gave her peace, she had told him. She had more fond memories in the garden than she could count. She had fond memories of this town. It had caught_ _him_ _off guard._ _Mrs. Lee had explained that she wasn't low on money as many would have thought. She, on her own free will, had decided to_ _stay_ _in the dump that was that town._ _Yukhei had_ _asked why_ _again_ _and she only smiled._

_**"This town, it has character, body. I wanted Donghyuck to grow up in an environment that didn't pamper him, that almost sheltered him from the true ugliness of** _ _**the** _ _**world. I wanted Donghyuck to grow thick skin. So we stayed."** _

_Mrs. Lee had_ _explained_ _that Donghyuck never knew his parents. It was with a changed expression she further told Yukhei about Donghyuck's parents. Her face was_ _sour_ _, a hint of_ _bitterness_ _and disappointment still_ _on_ _her tongue as she had spoke. Donghyuck's mother, her daughter, never wanted a child. The woman was wild, free willed,_ _always_ _running her mouth to anyone and everyone. Mrs. Lee had even slipped in thay Donghyuck had_ _gotten_ _his notorious big mouth from her. That was besides the point, her mouth and free lance only came back to bit her. She was always hunted_ _by_ _loan sharks._

_Before that,_ _before_ _the chaos that became of her, Donghyuck's mother had started as an employee in marketing. After college, she went straight into a job. Even moving out of her mother's too. She had made a good living. While her mother lived a quiet life back in town she was in a cozy apartment back in Seoul. There, in Seoul, she had fallen in love with a restaurant owner, Donghyuck's father. She passed by the restaurant_ _every day_ _on_ _her_ _way to work._

_Mrs. Lee never had anything_ _against_ _the two, they were so compatible it was almost scary. It only took one month for Donghyuck's father to ask her mother out_ _on_ _a date. That one date brought on a nine month relationship that warmed_ _their_ _hearts. It was blissful. Donghyuck's mother would visit Mrs. Lee and tell her about Donghyuck's father. How charming he was, how tall he was, how sweet he was. You would've guessed that in this nine month relationship something happened between the two. Preferably on a bed. It was the_ _ninth_ _month when Donghyuck's mother got sick every_ _morning and_ _dizziness plagued her._

_It was that_ _nineth_ _month that she_ _cried_ _on the toilet of her bathroom. Tears blurring the vision she had of the pregnancy hand in her hands. Soon after she told Donghyuck's father, he said he needed time. She understood, she gave him time. It only took a week but soon Donghyuck's father had one night knocked upon her door and told her that he could leave_ _everything_ _behind, that he wanted to start his_ _family_ _with her. He wanted to help with the raising of their child._ _They ultimately moved in together, living a life in her small Seoul apartment._

_While Donghyuck's mother was on maternity leave, his father was the only_ _one_ _keeping their apartment with running water and working lights. This led to many stressful nights and loud arguments between the couple. Donghyuck's father_ _was_ _barely able to make ends meet. Mrs. Lee had told Yukhei she was aware of their struggles and offered them a place to stay. It took a lot of convincing but Donghyuck's father had finally caved in and let his wife drag him to the dump of a town she had grown up in._

_Soon after their departure from Seoul, Donghyuck was born. And soon after Donghyuck was born, was same night his father was frantically driving on that rainy and slick road. He was in a hurry to see his baby boy for the first time. He wanted to hold him in his arm,_ _coddle_ _him, kiss him. Donghyuck's_ _father_ _never got to do those things. His father, with the steering gripped in his palms until you could see the white of his knuckles, got into a car accident the night of Donghyuck's birth. And due to head_ _trauma_ _, passed away on the spot._

_After the incident, Donghyuck's mother had let herself go. Donghyuck's grandmother was the one who raised him. By the second year of Donghyuck's birth his mother was off doing who knows what. Getting drunk, getting high, having flings. It was when Donghyuck turned 3 when she disappeared. One night, while she was off partying she never came back home. Mrs. Lee told Yukhei she had waited for her daughter to appear randomly one day, but she never did. She never stumbled into their apartment ever again._ _Donghyuck had_ _no_ _memories of her, to which Mrs. Lee was glad. Mrs. Lee said she explained to Donghyuck what happened with his parents when he turned the age of 6, he was_ _old_ _enough_ _to understand._ _Yukhei almost_ _gasped. Mrs. Lee replied with_ _the_ _click of her tongue and backed up her reasoning._

_**"It was better he knew then than later, he has more time to heal."** _

_Yukhei understood that. It made sense. With this story telling, Yukhei had found a new admiration for the old woman beside him as he now twisted and turned the weed strips into a bracelet. Not that he was doing a good job, but he was trying._ _Jaehyun was on the other side of Mrs. Lee, already_ _on_ _his 4th bracelet in a span of 15 minutes. Yukhei frowned down at his ugly weaving. He felt a nudge at his side to see Mrs. Lee giving a encouraging smile. Yukhei smiled back before he turned to his ugly bracelet and tried once more._

_"So," Jaehyun started, swallowing thickly. Mrs. Lee raised her eyebrow but didn't let her eyes leave her 10th bracelet, she had been tossing her finished ones back in the basket._ _"Has Dong-"_

_"Donghyuck isn't back." She responded before Jaehyun could question. Yukhei felt his stomach turn._ _Donghyuck was_ _gone?_


	50. @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

_Jungwoo sighed and leaned back, a familiar plastic jar held in his arms. Jungwoo watched as Xuxi, the name he had secretly given the nameless cat, ate slowly._ _It had been hours since he got wot work, but t_ _he art student wanted to desperately check the time on the_ _safely_ _tucked phone in his pocket. He didn't have to though, just by peering up at the setting sky he could_ _easily_ _tell his shift was coming to an end. Jungwoo sighed into the air that was turning chilly._

 _He couldn't wait to go home. He couldn't wait to fall back into Yukhei's arms. It was a new emotions in Jungwoo's chest. The feeling, this feeling. The feeling so deeply embedded in his_ _ribcage_ _of wanting and maybe even needing one person so bad._ __It surprised him, the more he thought of it. It was so weird how little time the two needed for them to feel so strongly for_ _ __each other_ _ __. Sure, Jungwoo was nowhere near being utterly in love with Yukhei but the fondness and_ _ __sweetness_ _ __was there._ _ _Jungwoo had_ _never felt such a pull, he tried not to let it scare him too much._

 _Instead, the art student stepped back, putting_ _distance_ _between_ _him and the still eating cat. He bent down and_ _let_ _the plastic jar in his arms land on the cement_ _sidewalk_ _. It made an ugly scratching noise that only Jungwoo winced at and Xuxi ignored. Once securely on the ground, Jungwoo reached down near it for the lid he had left there. His finger_ _tips_ _grasped onto the_ _plastic_ _of it and lifted it off the_ _sidewalk_ _. It took him approximately a few seconds to screw the lid on successfully._

 _He let his mind wander some more. From the chest_ _b_ _earing_ _thoughts of Yukhei and his presence to the lack of a certain teen._ _Taeyong had_ _taken_ _a_ _decently_ _long time explaining story behind everything._ _Jungwoo almost_ _missed the sting at his back that Donghyuck had created._

_It was weird how much of an imprint Donghyuck had made on him. Even if he had only really known him for a day, in the back of Jungwoo's mind, he couldnt help but have endless questions regarding the other._

_Even though Taeyong had explained the majority of the situation, there was something he left unsaid. Through the roller coaster of his story telling, Taeyong had held his tongue regarding the_ _current_ _whereabouts of Donghyuck. Truthfully, Taeyong wasn't sure himself. Donghyuck hadn't been home for a couple of days now. While Taeyong was_ _more_ _than just sick with worry, he kept it to himself._

 _Telling his gang to be on the look out for the sun kissed teen of course but other than that, he was quiet. So quiet that Jungwoo didn't even know either. Through the new information the art student had_ _swallowed_ _, he had_ _forgotten_ _to ask the most important_ _question_ _. Where Donghyuck was. But now, with the sky to himself and the silence of the empty road hitting him, that_ _question_ _resurfaced_ _._

 _And just as it made it's appearance so did the feeling of his phone in his pocket._ _It buzzed briefly_ _._ _Jungwoo_ _frowned and went back to a steady standing position before reaching in the pocket of his_ _apron_ _to fish out his phone. Once the_ _device_ _was in his grasp, he unlocked it and checked his notifications. There it was. It_ _was_ _an email from none other than his art professor._ _Jungwoo swallowed_ _thickly. It_ _must've_ _been about the project from last week._

 _The art student found it odd to be_ _recieving_ _an email from Mr. Wu, he was going to see him the next day._ _Nonetheless, Jungwoo_ _clicked_ _on the notification and opened up the email app to see what was said._

_*****_

_Yukhei didn't have a chance to mention the new found information about Donghyuck when Jungwoo got home that night. The art student was too excited from his professor's email. Instead of saying anything Yukhei waited at the entrance just as Jungwoo opened the door, a blinding smile gracing his beautiful lips._

_The model greeted him with an equally sweet_ _smile just as Jungwoo bite his bottom lip. He looked almost bashful as he quick to kick off his shoes, hurriedly tossing them aside once. Yukhei sighed a happy one and_ _opened_ _his arms. The art student had flung himself into Yukhei's open arms. He was overjoyed and Yukhei was just bleeding with pride thinking back to what Jungwoo texted him._

 _Back at the convenience store, with_ _shaky_ _fingers, vibrating with adrenaline from his excitement, Jungwoo had texted Yukhei after reading the email. Everything was bursting, Jungwoo wanted to jump into the sky and float. He was that happy. This was after he read_ _over_ _the email. Back then, meaning only a few minutes prior to texting Yukhei, Jungwoo had clicked on the email from Mr. Wu. The art student had his breath held as he read the words on his screen_ _for the first time._

**_Hello Kim Jungwoo, I am contacting you concerning the piece you submitted for this assignment. To say I am more than pleased would be an understatement. While I'm not entirely sure of how you chose your muse, this piece obviously held a deeper meaning. With every stroke of paint on the canvas and every outline on top of the red, any person could tell this was created with passion and delivered in beauty. I could go on in praising your work but I am here to ask for your permission in submitting this under your name into the art competition held by the province. I would like you and this piece that you so marvelously created to represent our university for this year's competition. I hope you take my words into consideration as well as your future. This could be a great opportunity to broaden your work for more eyes. Please think about it and thank you for your time._ **

**_Sincerely, your art professor Mr. Wu_ **

_With even shakier fingers, Jungwoo had typed out frantically to his boyfriend what had happened, forcefully biting down a big grin while doing so. But now there the art student was, once again tucked in the warmth of Yukhei's deep chest, breathing in. His eyes were closed with utter contentment. Everything was fitting together, like puzzle pieces. Nothing could have made Jungwoo happier._

*******

 _"I still can't believe it." Jungwoo almost slurred, the bitter sweet taste of cheaply made wine thick on his taste buds, utter joy swelled in his chest nonetheless._ _Yukhei only grinned delightfully from beside him, he swung his long legs from the edge. They were on the_ _balcony_ _again_ _._ _T_ _he_ _night_ _had already tucked it's navy blanket over the sky. Stars were barely visible but just the comfort from the night sky warmed the two. Both of them had their legs dangling from in between the railings._

 _They sat side by side, making their_ _size_ _difference_ _more_ _noticeable._ _Sure_ _, Jungwoo was almost the same in height as his partner but Yukhei's shoulder were thicker and broader than the art student's. Leaving Jungwoo to look utterly petite in comparison. He didn't mind, neither of them did. The cool breeze that_ _jumped_ _their heating cheeks was too_ _distracting_ _. They were both tipsy. Jungwoo on his fourth glass of wine and Yukhei on his second. The_ _model_ _had fed Jungwoo the excuse that he was_ _light_ _weight, and the art student was still too happy to argue and frankly didn't want to have to_ _lug_ _his plankly boyfriend around if he were to give out._

 _"I'm not surprised," Yukhei breathed into the_ _chills_ _, Jungwoo glanced at his lover. The tips of his_ _ears_ _involuntarily_ _tinging_ _in pink at the sight of his_ _breathtaking_ _profile. "Your art is amazing Jungwoo." Yukhei just grinned and turned to meet_ _gazes_ _with his boyfriend. The art student didn't look away or turn bashfully. Though the feeling was there and the_ _redness_ _of his cheeks was obvious, he blamed it on the wine_ _that_ _ran in his veins. Jungwoo spent all night blaming the wine for his next actions._

 _The art student leaned in and pressed a chaste kiss on Yukhei's slightly parted lips. Neither of them_ _were_ _surprised. Yukhei hadn't wasted his time, letting his eyes fall shut. He then had them open just as Jungwoo pulled back slightly. His plush and spark ridden lips hovering over his own. Yukhei felt his stomach turn and let his eyes roam the beautiful glow of Jungwoo's cheeks._

 _Yukhei admired the length of his boyfriend's dark lashes that curved_ _at_ _his cheeks. He felt his heart_ _thunder_ _to the dampened blush at his skin_ _underneath_ _his shut eyes. Then, the model felt his breath_ _choke_ _him to the sight of Jungwoo awaiting lips that loomed. They were parted and a pretty color mixed in with red and pink. They looked soft and Yukhei knew they were_ _softer_ _than imagined, considering how many times he_ _bit_ _at them in the_ _past_ _._

 _Yukhei closed their distance and kissed Jungwoo. Only their lips connected,_ _nothing_ _else. Their arms and hands twitching at their sides. Unlike Jungwoo, Yukhei didn't spend his thoughts blaming the wine for his actions. The only thing Yukhei found_ _himself_ _blaming for_ _driving_ _Jungwoo down and devouring him was the feelings that plagued his chest. Feelings that rushed heat in every part of his body. Not only his, but the art student's_ _too_ _. That's who Yukhei blamed._


	51. Chapter 51

_"Jungwoo." Yukhei muttered softly into his lover's skin, further having Jungwoo melt into him. Not minding the roughness of the mattress. They weren't seated on the creakiness of the balcony anymore, they had so very heatedly migrated to the creakiness of Jungwoo's mattress._

_The setting was anything but romantic, but neither the model nor the art student cared. Jungwoo had his back on the fabric, his legs open with Yukhei nested in between them. His lips hovered over the heat of Jungwoo's exposed neck._

_Yukhei leaned back a little to admire the art student sprawled out before him. The tips of Jungwoo's ears red with color and his tongue lathered in the taste of wine, it only made Yukhei's desire grow. Jungwoo was beneath him still, his eyes shut as he panted heavily._

_It was a new rhythm that Yukhei felt his heart give into. The model dove back down, this time without rush, and started to trail soft and wet kiss along side the exposed canvas of Jungwoo's gorgeous neck. With each kiss Jungwoo felt a lump of sounds choke him but he didn't let his mouth open, instead he bit his lips shut just as Yukhei began to nibble on the skin underneath his jaw._

_Jungwoo shuddered, desire and need growing in his chest. His mind buzzed with wine but still very sober. He was happy, he felt so glad and welcomed. He felt a place in Yukhei's arms he never knew he could. Jungwoo let his hands loosen their grip from the pillow's fabric and lifted them instead. The art student proceeded to wrap his arms around the other's neck. He let his fingers embed themselves in the_ _soft_ _strands of his hair. Tightening his grip on them each time Yukhei would bite down harder or suck too much._

_While Yukhei worked his mouth on the skin to color Jungwoo's neck with pretty reds as his hands moved. One of his hands was above Jungwoo's head,_ _gripping_ _onto the pillow to keep him above Jungwoo, the other was now heatedly taking Jungwoo's thin_ _hip_ _in its grip. The art student finally let his lips part as he whined into the air, his mind dizzy. Yukhei pulled back only an inch from a forming hickey he had just left behind._ _Jungwoo swallowed_ _at_ _the lost but didn't say much. He was too busy_ _trying_ _to_ _even out his breath._

_Yukhei's lips hovered of Jungwoo's tender flesh. He let the softness of his mouth_ _brush_ _on the_ _marks_ _he made. Soon Yukhei was beginning to leave soft feather like kisses on Jungwoo's skin instead. Heat_ _sank_ _in his stomach and blood rushed to his jeans. Even fondness growing in his chest at the small short hums materializing from his lover's pink lips, Jungwoo's eyes fluttered open and closed, trying to register the swirling emotions that drowned him in utter scorching desire._

_The palm that practically engulfed Jungwoo's hip moved. Yukhei knead the flesh and bone underneath his touch causing Jungwoo lips to let out a gasp. Yukhei's palm dove and moved from his hips bone to feather over Jungwoo's abdomen. Yukhei didn't press down on his stomach underneath his untouched shirt. Instead he let his long fingers dip into the hem of it, going underneath the fabric only to meet Jungwoo's scorching skin._

_The model's movements were first hesitant, now thinking it through. He let his palm roam the flatness of Jungwoo hot skin. He let his hand settle at the curve of his waist before he pulled back completely. He had stopped his kisses and kept his hand in place, sparks swarmed where he touched but neither said a word._

_The panting Jungwoo willed himself to keep his eyes_ _open_ _despite_ _the blur in_ _his_ _senses. He looked at Yukhei in the dim light and felt his heart waver slightly. He was so gorgeous, his lips glowed and his eyes were a deep brown that_ _only_ _held warmth. Jungwoo exhaled._

_"Jungwoo," Yukhei's voice drummed emotions in his heart. The art student let a delicate and fond smile appear at his lips. The fingers combed in Yukhei's hair let go and moved_ _to_ _the sides of his face. The art student traced the_ _outlines_ _of Yukhei's features softly with the tips of his fingers. It was slow and sensational, their heart beats_ _barely_ _in_ _sync_ _, almost erratic. There were no more hungry tugs, just_ _delicate_ _touches._

_"Yes?" Jungwoo whispered. The model above him visibly gulped, his eyes wavered and he let them train on Jungwoo's lips instead_ _of_ _his_ _pooling_ _eyes._ _Yukhei was_ _nervous, anxious. He didn't_ _want_ _to make a mistake. Was this a wrong move? They both knew where this was going. Where they_ _intended_ _it to go. But now, thinking it_ _through_ _,_ _Yukhei was scared._

_On the other hand, Jungwoo wouldn't want to be anywhere else. The wine that sweetly buzzed his mind was still present but Jungwoo was pretty sober. He was ready. He wanted to take the next step in their relationship. The art student_ _was_ _very much aware that Yukhei nervous, his_ _thundering_ _heart gave it away._

_"A-Are you sure? I haven't ever done-" Yukhei stammered but didn't let his_ _shaky_ _vocals finish his words. The confidence that had fueled him_ _to_ _pick up Jungwoo by his thighs_ _and_ _drag him from the balcony to his bed room now_ _melted_ _into the floor. Jungwoo_ _continued_ _to eye his lover_ _with_ _the same fondness he had from the beginning._

 _In truth, Yukhei wasn't sure what he was more scared of. Hurting Jungwoo or disappointing him. The model_ _had_ _never_ _told a soul, even just thinking_ _about_ _it had him wanting to get swallowed by the floor. He felt redness dust his cheeks at thought and let his eyes fall into Jungwoo's steady gaze._

_The art student frowned at the sudden change of demeanor, wondering what was invading Yukhei's thoughts. Jungwoo's thumbs were at the model's heating cheeks, he_ _brushed_ _the color red of the skin underneath him. Jungwoo let his mind wander for their unmoving_ _seconds_ _until it suddenly dawned him. Yukhei, he-_

_"You're-" Jungwoo started with wide eyes and_ _only_ _heard Yukhei groan. The model's arm that hung up above Jungwoo went limp and Jungwoo caught a_ _glimpse_ _of the alarmingly feverish face his lover held before he whined out as if he was being_ _tormented_ _. Yukhei collapsed his broad_ _frame_ _onto his lover._

_Jungwoo responded with a huff as the air in him was almost knocked out by this new weight. The model sighed, his burning face stuffed in the crook of the other's_ _neck_ _in utter embarrassment._ _Silence enveloped the lovers for a few light hearted seconds before Yukhei muttered something_ _and_ _shifted_ _._

_"What?" Jungwoo asked under his breath. Yukhei_ _groaned_ _now, going deeper to hide his face. The hot skin of his beat red cheeks pressing along the expanse of Jungwoo's neck. It stung almost, the art student didn't_ _mind_ _though,_ _endearment_ _even swelled in him to Yukheu timid antics._

_"Yeah...." Yukhei mumbled_ _against_ _the heat of Jungwoo's skin. "I-I'm a virgin." The art student only sighed with a soft smile on his lips. A chuckle brimmed his exhale at Yukhei's reluctant and pouty response. Melting emotions seeped through his chest._ _Another coat of short lived silence_ _hugged_ _the two._ _Yukhei still_ _deep into Jungwoo's neck and Jungwoo still basking in the cuteness of his partner._

_The art student_ _kicked_ _his lips before he brought his arms down, his palms placing themselves on the curve of Yukhei's collar bone and shoulder. He_ _tried_ _to_ _nudge_ _off or at least have the model pull back, which he did. The model found the strength in his arm still above Junghead and lifted his body up to peer down at his boyfriend._

_They met eyes again and Jungwoo's heart nearly failed._ _Yukhei was_ _pouting, he really was. He lips were pursed together endearingly with his big eyes wide and_ _uncertain_ _. Jungwoo couldn't wait to kiss him again._ _Instead_ _of doing so though, the art student smiled wider, a confused glint flashed_ _through_ _the chocolate of Yukhei's orbs at the sight._

_"It's fine," Jungwoo grinned, the smile_ _twinkled_ _and reached his eyes, Yukhei felt his red face deepen. There_ _was_ _a stutter of his chest but he paid no mind to it as he watched Jungwoo's innocent smile quirk a little, hints of mischief in his cute lips. Jungwoo slowly let his_ _palms_ _slid upward_ _until_ _they settled at the sides of Yukhei's burning face again._

_The model stayed still, curious to what Jungwoo planned to do. The art student proceeded to give the sides of Yukhei's face a light tug and the other complied. Jungwoo brought Yukhei's face down, to the point they were cheek to cheek. He moved his hands to Yukhei's nape to move the model closer as he left a chaste kiss on the skin. Yukhei's chest_ _stung_ _and buzzed,_ _his_ _fingers twitching to move. He stayed still though._

_Jungwoo_ _brushed_ _his soft lips on the shell of Yukhei's ear, his hot breath fanning his face and Yukhei felt something grow harder between his legs that trembled for friction. This time, in a lower tone, Jungwoo spoke his final words. His eyes turned_ _slightly_ _hooded._

_"I'll just lead." Husk tinged his tongue._

_It took a couple of shuffles and shifts. Yukhei was too much in an intoxicated haze to move at all. The words_ _soaked_ _him into a frenzy as he felt Jungwoo sit up and push back on_ _his_ _chest. They sat on the_ _mattress_ _. Jungwoo grinned sweetly before letting_ _his_ _palm_ _settle_ _on Yukhei's shoulders, he maneuvered him. Yukhei let Jungwoo lay him down. The model now having his back on the fabric of the cushions. He stared up at his lover who then settled himself on his lap fittingly._

_The art student now was straddling_ _the_ _model underneath him. Their_ _growing_ _erections pressed into one another and Yukhei felt a small gasp escape his parted lips as he admired Jungwoo's utter beauty above him. His hair was a mess and the corner of his cheeks were colored with a beautiful soft blush. His swollen lips were also parted and his eyes bled so many emotions._

_Yukhei felt his chest caving in at their mere eye contact. Jungwoo let his fingers fidget with the hem of Yukhei shirt until his thin digits made it underneath the fabric. Yukhei hissed silently, but never breaking the gaze they held. The model bit his lip to the sparks that melted into his skin_ _just_ _as Jungwoo's soft palms came in contact with his sculpted abdomen._

_Jungwoo swallowed before he moved his hips roughly forward,_ _rutting_ _them into Yukhei. The model scrunched up his face and groaned. He felt blood rush down to his_ _constricted_ _erection as he heard Jungwoo timidly gasp with his mouth ajar and his eyes drooping to a close. Yukhei wanted to move, he wanted to take a hold of the art student's hips and rip off his clothes, but Yukhei continued to stay unmoving, Jungwoo was going to lead._

_The art student breathed in, moving his palms up underneath Yukhei's shirt, revealing his well toned stomach. Jungwoo felt hunger over come him and he had his trembling hips thrust his erection up against Yukhei's once more. Yukhei inhaled sharply at the heat that swarmed them. His fingers_ _twitched_ _at his sides._

_"Shit-" Yukhei muttered, his patience wearing thin. Jungwoo peered up past_ _his_ _long lashes and decided they both had too much on. So, through quick movements, Jungwoo leaned back and lifted his arms. He shimmied himself out of his shirt, Yukhei's glowing eyes following him._

_The model practically drooled at the sight of Jungwoo's soft chest and smooth stomach that_ _contrasted_ _so deeply with his hard and toned one. Yukhei wanted to paint the skin shown before him in red, red from his lips and kisses. Jungwoo, with his droopy and desire filled eyes nodded forward, gesturing for Yukhei to undress too._

_The model only complied to the silent demand. He lifted his back up from the mattress. Finally putting good use of his_ _hands_ _that had been_ _limp at his side. They had reached for the hem of his shirt and pulled the fabric up and over his head. Once the shirt was just_ _clothing_ _in his hands he tossed it the side, just as Jungwoo did with his. There was a moment of silence where neither moved. Yukhei was propped up on his elbows with Jungwoo still straddling his hips._ _Their erections twitching_ _to_ _be touched._

_Jungwoo peered down at his well toned and gorgeous boyfriend in awe. Now that he got the whole view. The art_ _student_ _could not help but hold his breath at the sight before him. Yukhei was in the middle between built and lean, not too much_ _or_ _either. But Obviously strong enough to have visible parts of his_ _flesh_ _tight_ _and toned in muscle. It was Jungwoo's turn to drool. So this was what a model's body looks like in person._

_Yukhei was the first to look away from Jungwoo's soft frame, the art student noticed. Just when Jungwoo thought the pretty pink color that spotted Yukhei's cheeks couldn't deepen, they did. The art student smiled now, fondness seeping through his eyes as he leaned down. Yukhei glanced_ _to his lover_ _at the movements before he was met with soft lips on his own._

_It took only milliseconds for the model to respond, he sighed into the kiss and practically melted into the mattress. Sadly, just as fast as Jungwoo's lips had sweetly met Yukhei's, they had left them. The model leaned forward a little, chasing after Jungwoo's mouth but was stopped by the art student's hand on his chest. The skin that came in contact with Jungwoo's palm burned and Yukhei felt his heart thunder in his rib cage. He had hoped it wasn't too loud._

_"You can touch." Jungwoo voiced softly with a hint of teasing behind his faint smile. It broke through the sweet silence and Yukhei gulped at that._

_The model met gazes with the other above him. Jungwoo gleamed under the dim streetlight that bled through the window near them. Despite the ugly yellow of the light, Jungwoo looked as breathtaking as ever. Very much so to the point that Yukhei couldn't register the other's words and only watched his lover sheepishly grin his cute smile that hid his gorgeous almond eyes._

_Jungwoo realized in a slight blush that Yukhei was utterly captivated. Instead of commenting on it, he simply lifted his arm from his side and reached out._ _The model's eyes followed Jungwoo's_ _extended_ _arm as it came for him._

_Jungwoo_ _wrapped his long fingers around Yukhei's wrist, sparks flew but neither said a word. Jungwoo pulled Yukhei's arm up, making the model lean all his weight on his other propped arm. With the model's hand extended and his palm spread Jungwoo placed it on his chest. The spot right above his shaking heart. Yukhei could feel him, the_ _pure heat that radiated off his gently made skin._

_Jungwoo let go of the other's palm and let him take control of where it went. The model was motionless, savoring the fact that he could feel Jungwoo's heart vibrate_ _underneath_ _his palm. Heat pooled at_ _the_ _model's chest and down to his stomach, his_ _own_ _heart stuttered_ _at_ _the_ _lovely_ _feeling. Of the feeling of Jungwoo's delicate skin_ _underneath_ _his palm and fingertips._

_The art student inhaled sharply as the touch began to roam before he relaxed. Yukhei's big palm made hesitant caresses_ _across_ _the blank canvas of his skin, so gently and lovingly, down to one of his sides. Jungwoo bit his bottom lip before he peeked_ _past_ _his lashes to look at a_ _mesmerised_ _Yukhei._

_The model was watching his fingers spread across the other's gorgeous skin, feeling the distinctness of it._ _Heat swam and swam as they both drowned. They savored the silence that engulfed them, Jungwoo utterly stunning and Yukhei utterly dazed, equally as_ _breathtaking_ _in his astonished expression._

_Jungwoo then_ _,_ _with_ _a shiver,_ _lifted_ _up his fallen hand and brought it to take a hold of Yukhei's wrist. Once in the art student's hold, he pulled back Yukhei palm, gasping at the coldness that suddenly pinched him. The model was still letting Jungwoo do what he wished. He watched as Jungwoo brought his palm up to lips._

_Through hooded eyes and flushed cheeks, the art student gently pressed his lips on Yukhei's warm knuckles, sending a buzz of comfort in the model's chest. Jungwoo spent a couple of_ _seconds_ _, slowly and_ _sensually_ _littering the other's knuckles with feather kisses until he pulled back to meet gazes again._

_As if Yukhei's lungs would stop their malfunctioning that night, he was once again_ _breathless_ _at the sight of his boyfriend. So red and dazed, just for him. Something in Yukhei rumbled, desired what was his front of him. He wanted all of Jungwoo, and he was sure the other would have felt the same._

_The art student let go of Yukhei's wrist_ _again_ _. Instead Jungwoo moved his palms on each side on top of the mattress and lifted his ass up from the center of Yukhei's lap. The smaller scooted only and little bit down Yukhei's legs, never breaking eye contact. In quick gestures, Jungwoo nodded forward. Implying for Yukhei to sit up. The model took second to register and did as he was silently told. He fully lifted his backside_ _from_ _the creaky mattress._

_The arm he had been propped up on finally feeling freedom in what seemed like forever once his overbearing weight was gone. Once Yukhei was sitting upright Jungwoo scooted forward. Their chest touching now. Yukhei's heart picked up pace as did Jungwoo's._

_"Touch me more, Yukhei." Was all the model heard before something made his hands quickly place themselves at Jungwoo's waist. The art student_ _yelped_ _quietly_ _at the sudden feeling of his big palms round his waist sweetly. It only took seconds for_ _Yukhei let his hands travel over the hot flesh. His fingers spread and knead Jungwoo's delicate sides._

_His palms roamed freely, Jungwoo gasping hotly into Yukhei's neck once in awhile. Yukhei put some space in between their two chests to gently let his palm and fingertips hover over Jungwoo's burning stomach and to his chest. The art student trembled, completely melting into_ _the other._

_This was how Jungwoo planned to lead. His hands were gripping onto the fabric of the blanket beneath them as he kept them at his sides. He wanted Yukhei to explore. He was clenching onto the cloth so hard to prevent himself from shoving his hips closer,_ _their_ _hard fronts_ _barely_ _a breath away._

_Yukhei's mind ran and_ _juggled_ _ideas of where to grip next. What to_ _grip_ _down at and feel_ _lovingly_ _underneath his palms. What to set fire with his touches. More_ _suggestions_ _flashed through Yukhei's mind. Jungwoo was still utterly breathless as the model_ _decided_ _rashly_ _on what do to next. One of his hands roamed some more, laying his palm at the flat of Jungwoo's heating abdomen. His fingertips melted_ _down_ _the other's skin. Jungwoo's back_ _arched_ _in and let_ _his_ _eyes fall shut in bliss. After some more roaming down of Yukhei's fingers, they brushed along the waist band of Jungwoo's pants. The art student_ _sucked_ _in a sharp breath at the_ _feathery_ _touches._

_"Y-Yukhei." Jungwoo unintentionally whined as Yukhei's hand slipped past the clothing of his pants. He passed his_ _underwear_ _only to take a grip on Jungwoo's dripping erection. Yukhei squeezed hesitantly and Jungwoo responded in a low moan, "Goddammit-" He growld, Yukhei froze._

_The model's eyes widened, his cheeks become hotter than before realizing what he was holding. His whole body was flush now. Alarms were going off in his head. The model's lips opened and closed as he tried to find the_ _right_ _words. He was holding Jungwoo. He_ _was_ _**palming**_ _Jungwoo. When the reality of it finally registered properly in_ _his_ _mind, Yukhei pulled back from Jungwoo's throbbing erection, still in his hand still on the other's pants._

_Before the model could yank his hand out of Jungwoo's pants though, the art student had a tight grip around his wrist for what seemed the 500th time that night, stopping from moving an inch._

_"Don't," Jungwoo shuttered and leaned forward, his breath now fanning Yukhei's flushed collar bone. The art_ _student_ _moved Yukhei palms that was still practically holding him, forward. Adding pressure onto his leaking member restrained in his pants._ _Jungwoo gasped_ _out a short noise between a groan and a moan. "I'm l-leading, remember?"_

_Yukhei gulped and only nodded. Not trusting his voice. It was then that Yukhei started to wrap his member with his fingers. He tugged the stem of it in uncertainty but felt pride flush his cheeks at the sounds that fell out of Jungwoo's beautifully parted lips. Jungwoo moaned loudly as Yukhei suddenly squeezed at his length in the most pleasurable torment._

_"Pants," Jungwoo gasped out at another flick of the other's wrist. "Off."_ _Yukhei didn't hesitate this time. He released Jungwoo's twitching length with a sharp tug. Jungwo inhaled shakingly but forced his eyes open so he could move off Yukhei's lap._

_Once they had separated, they were rather quick to take off the remaining of their clothes. In another set of shuffled movements they tossed their pants aside as they did with their shirts in the beginning. Yukhei licked his dry lips at the sight of Jungwoo's dripping red cock that curved up to his stomach, buzzing with need_ _. The model was aware of his own_ _member_ _being just as hard in between his legs. But he was too focused on Jungwoo's needs to focus on his own._

_The art student nodded forward for Yukhei to lay on his back once_ _again_ _. The model gulped at the attractive hood of his dark eyes. It was as if Jungwoo was planning to eat him. Yukhei trembled in anticipation and adrenaline as he crawled over a short span to the middle of the mattress and laid on_ _his_ _back. He peered down and saw Jungwoo move over the_ _fabric_ _before he swung his leg over Yukhei's thighs, sitting on him. The plush skin of Yukhei's legs burned at the touch of his lover._

_Jungwoo didn't waste time. Not like_ _he_ _had been before, taking things extra slow just for Yukhei. They had all night, the art student knew this. It was just something that tugged at his chest that made him feel like this moment would be pulled from underneath_ _him_ _if he wasn't quick enough. With that in mind Jungwoo lifted his arms and set them on Yukhei's bare chest._

_The model hissed at the contact and the art student began to feel up his lover until one of his hands reached the curve of Yukhei's exposed length. Jungwoo inhaled at the beauty of it. It was leaking and red, big and veiny. The art student buzzed with need and decided that he wanted that in him as soon as possible. Jungwoo lifted his free hand from the Yukhei's abdomen._

_The speechless model watched, blurred with desire as Jungwoo's long finger tips parted his own lips. The art student placed his fingers in his now opened mouth. He_ _coated them with saliva, slowly and teasingly running his tongue along the digits. Yukhei felt his member twitch, blood rushed everywhere and he wanted to bounce on his utterly beautiful lover._

_Jungwoo took a good few seconds lathering his finger first 3 fingers with spit before he lifted his ass off of Yukhei's lap. The art student then let his arm reach back as he blindly found his entrance. Yukhei was breathless at this point, and observed the way Jungwoo's expression contrasted and scrunched up and litter at the first finger._

_He_ __inserted one into himself, gasping lewdly to the sudden intrusion_ _ _. Yukhei's eyes went wide in concern until Jungwoo's gasp was followed by a moan. The model's length was aching now, aching to be touched._ __His skin in flames_ _ _._ __Jungwoo panted as he stretched himself out, adding other fingers._ _ _The model_ _licked_ _his lips, his eyes never leaving the captivating sight before him. This was_ _unbearable_ _._

_After a little while, in low silence, just the slick of Jungwoo's movement and his short gasps filling the air, the art student found himself to be ready._ _With one last bump, Jungwoo moaned out and slipped his hand from himself. Yukhei's eyes followed the_ _fingers_ _that emerged from Jungwoo's back side. He watched as the_ _gleaming_ _digits were wiped off the mattress. Everything was in heat, they rolled and drowned in it._

_The art student finally lifted his eyes from_ _nothingness_ _and met Yukhei's. The model felt his heart fall out of hi chest and his breath hitch just as Jungwoo let his limbs_ _wobbly_ _scoot back a little._

_The art student never tore gazes_ _with_ _the other. Jungwoo placed his legs in between Yukhei's. The model_ _panicked_ _just as the art student fitted himself between his limbs. Jungwoo was on his hands and knees in between his_ _thick_ _thighs as he reached over. Yukhei stuttered without words,_ _completely clueless on what his intentions were._

_"What-"_ _Yukhei was choked up before he could even finish his sentence. Jungwoo finally reached out with his smaller hands and gripped onto the model's length. The art student hummed lowly as it twitched beneath his palms. Yukhei's lungs had finally collapsed now, he_ _watched_ _silently. Jungwoo was on his knees still as he lowered his face. The art_ _student_ _was_ _shameless and left a deep kiss on the tip. Yukhei found himself biting his lips at the_ _fiery_ _contact, his erection leaking more than before._

_"I forgot lube idiot," Jungwoo's breath fanned the throbbing of the model's member in his warm palms. Yukhei made sure he kept_ _himself_ _under control. The art student let his lips hover over the tip again. Yukhei hissed._

_"W-what about a condom?" The model moaned now as Jungwoo's lips now slowly wrapped_ _themselves_ _around his length_ _deeply, something between_ _kiss and a suck before he pulled back._ _Yukhei rasped_ _out almost dramatically, beads of sweat collecting at his temples as they met gazes again._

_"Under my pillow."_

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Writing this had to be some of the most stressful shit I think I've ever written,,,, I'm ending it here cause I'm a pussy and cant finish smut, so this was semi smut??? Finger fucking, weird body worship??, LOTS of touching, dick kissing and idk fluff??? I bet there's more errors than I can count so dont ne too mean, okay? This was stressful for me. But anyway, I'll leave the rest to your imagination,, I'm sorry to y'all who expected more :(


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_Jungwoo scrunched up his once smoothed out features at the sun light that flooded through the window_ _near_ _them_ _. The_ _rays_ _were hitting right at his closed eyes. Jungwoo groaned lowly and stirred a little before he drowsily realized he could barely move. Not only was there no space on the size of his mattress but he could feel bare heat press his back and soft puffs of breath_ _fan_ _the skin of his exposed nape. Jungwoo_ _shivered_ _just as Yukhei gave another huff through his parted lips, sleeping soundly._

 _Just as Jungwoo fluttered his eyes open softly, m_ _emories_ _rushed to the art student's blurred mind and he didn't know whether to smile like an idiot or let the blood rush to his cheeks in realization. The warmth in his chest increased to the images that passed. The feeling of their stinging_ _touches_ _and hard_ _thrusts were engraved into Jungwoo's senses and he began to feel hot again. The art student swallowed and shifted sluggishly in the model's hold._

 _Yukhei's arms had been comfortably wrapped around the other's thin waist. The light weight cloth_ _of_ _a blanket covered the both of them like it had every morning. It was obviously different this time. Jungwoo took a deep breath, his neck turned a shade of pink just as Yukhei unconsciously rubbed the tip of his nose on the flesh. It tickled but Jungwoo held his tongue, letting Yukhei further_ _cuddle_ _into his nape and backside. The art student's heart raced in his chest. Even after_ _what they had_ _done Jungwoo's heart wouldn't stop_ _stuttering_ _by the mere touch of the other. Another wave_ _of_ _heat washed his face,_ _God_ _was he whipped._

 _Instead of turning and shaking his_ _lover_ _awake, Jungwoo stayed there, his body limp and relaxed. All his muscle were mush and there was a small sting at his tail bone. The art student cursed silently in his mind. There was no malice in his thoughts, but he_ _wanted_ _to punch his lover to conciousness for the way he had man handled him the previous night. For a_ _virgin_ _,_ _he sure knew where to touch and how to touch it. The only one with open eyes out of_ _the_ _two sighed and melted into the chest behind him, cuddling into the mattress_ _underneath_ _him. Jungwoo's eyes now fell shut at the process as he let sleep grab him again._

_*******_

_The second time Jungwoo woke up from his slumber he knew that he couldn't go back to sleep. The sudden reminder that he had responsibilities struck his mind just as he became conscious, this time, woken to the sound of tweeting birds. The art_ _student_ _groaned and didn't hesitate to shift in on his_ _mattress_ _, his torso still being held on tightly by the giant pressed up_ _against_ _him. The model in return, frowned and slowly began_ _to_ _blink his eyes open._

 _The art student_ _moved around in Yukhei's hold until he was able to lay_ _on_ _his back. He was still firmly in his lover's steel hold. The model peered down at his lover to see his_ _droopy_ _eyes as_ _his_ _mouth sported a wide yawn. A subconscious smile graced his lips at the sight. His heart pooled in his chest and ran through his vein in a sweet numbing manner. Yukhei, without much thought, leaned down and left a brief peck on the pink of Jungwoo's cheek. The art student chuckled in response and closed his eyes, a smile on his pretty lips._

 _Another_ _yawn escaped Jungwoo's lips as he maneuvered one of his arms at his side to take a hold of the arms wrapped warmly around his torso. The art student felt around and found Yukhei's big palm. He smiled wider, his eyes still closed and proceeded to lace their fingers together, still under the cheap blanket. Yukhei grinned lazily and scooted closer to the drowsy Jungwoo. He only snuggled further into his side_ _. Yukhei_ _left_ _a soft kiss on Jungwoo's shoulder._

 _"Jungwoo..." Yukhei now yawned out his words and held Jungwoo firmly against him_ _._

 _"Hmm." Jungwoo hummed, playing with his lover's fingers, memorizing_ _the long and wide structures of them._ _Silence struck them as the model tried to carefully pick out his words, his mind suddenly finding this situation embarrassing even after_ _everything_ _._

 _"I-Is your back okay?" Yukhei asked with a low tone, a cute pout on_ _his_ _lips. Jungwoo huffed out a scoff and slowly opened his eyes. He shifted some more and let his orbs train themselves on the nut-brown eyes that belonged to the model. His lips in a thin line. Jungwoo's hazel hair was tousled and a cute thick red blush spread across his face as he stared Yukhei. The model_ _gulped_ _at the blankness in his eyes, he couldn't read him._

 _Jungwoo then_ _managed to detach himself from Yukhei long arms. The model flopped down on the only pillow. His expression dumbfounded as Jungwoo sat up on the mattress. The art student huffed and grabbed the edges of the only pillow before he pulled it from underneath Yukhei's head. The model flopped into contact with the mattress now, he frowned and parted his lips to speak, shifting to sit up too._

 _Before Yukhei could even move too much or say a word, Jungwoo had pulled back the pillow in his clutches and swung it at him. Yukhei yelped as Jungwoo began his rain of hits_ _with_ _the_ _pillow. They were utterly harmless and made something stir in Yukhei's chest as he brought up his arms to shield himself from the blows. He was still confused out of his mind so he kept silent as Jungwoo continued with his beating._

 _After a few more feeble hits, Jungwoo had tired himself out let the pillow_ _fall_ _on Yukhei's_ _face. The model was frozen. His vision dark because of plush fabric that covered his view. The silence remained only a few more seconds before Yukhei moved his arms and peeked past the pillow. His eyes landed on a pouting Jungwoo with his arms crossed on his beautifully bare chest. The art student wasn't looking down at his smothered lover as he let his tantrum subside. A huff left his lips before he spoke._

_"You? A virgin? With what you did? You're an asshole." Jungwoo replied without any venom. The organ in Yukhei's chest stuttered at the red that swam on Jungwoo's soft glowing cheeks and kissed the cute tips of his ears. Now that the model's eyes could focus he noticed how beautifully decorated his lover's chest and stomach were. The kiss marks and hickeys he had left behind on the other's fair skin looked like softly fallen pink and red petals from a delicate flower. Yukhei some how burst with pride._

_Jungwoo exhaled another time before he peeked at his_ _boyfriend_ _who was still semi hiding behind the pillow. Yukhei was distracted by the_ _beauty_ _of his own lover that he didn't_ _noticed_ _Jungwoo soften at the sight of him. The art student then turned away again, clicking his tongue in the process._

_"And no." He simply said, Yukhei frowned again and now watched his lover's hard expression curiously. "My back isn't okay."_

_The model let his_ _face_ _bloom_ _with_ _a_ _sudden_ _grin_ _._ _God did Yukhei love his boyfriend_.

******

 _Jungwoo dropped, ass first, onto the hard stool and sunk forward. He let himself slouch as he_ _stared_ _off into nothingness. The bags under his eyes were visible and it was hard not to notice his lips swollen in red despite the fact that bit had been hours. Jungwoo wore a turtle neck to his lectures that morning, now afternoon, for good reason. Last night's events had left their very distinct_ _marks_ _._

_Despite his messy appearance, he wasn't sure whether to let the overwhelming feeling of tiredness over take him or let the blissful high of being so cared for and caring so much for another drown him. Instead, he stared aimlessly, blank of thought, his empty canvas stand was in front of him in all it's wooden glory._

_Doyoung was beside him, as usual, in his own stool with his own empty stand. The other had turned the minute Jungwoo had slumped onto the stool with his brows lifted in curiosity. Jungwoo had loosely entered the chattering classroom minutes before the lecture, in a disheveled state._

_It_ _only_ _took minutes but soon, Mr. Wu was in front of the class rambling on about the_ _projects_ _he had graded over the_ _week_ _and that he was more than pleased with all of them. Jungwoo's mind was still swimming in a tired and dazed buzz so he hadn't notice the next words that tumbled through Mr. Wu's lips._

 _"Through this project,_ _I_ _have decided to nominate one of your fellow classmates to participate in this year's art competition that will represent this university,"_ _the_ _class erupted_ _with_ _silent chatter. Mr. Wu scanned his students before his calm eyes set themselves on a still very oblivious Jungwoo who sported droopy eyes and a dull expression. Mr. Wu smiled_ _nonetheless_ _and proceeded with his speech,_ _"Kim Jungwoo-"_

 _The art student responded to the call of his name with a clatter that cut off his own professor's sentence. The class and their heads turned to where the abrupt noise had come from. Jungwoo, in red and with wide eyes was on the marble floor. Staring up past and_ _through_ _his canvas stand to the eyes that were trained on him and he reddened more. The_ _sleepy_ _individual had straightened his back so quick with too_ _much_ _force at the sound of his name that it made the stool wobble unsteadily for only milliseconds before it hit the ground with a metal noise, Jungwoo going down with it._

 _"Jungwoo?" Mr. Wu_ _was_ _heard_ _calling_ _worriedly from the front of_ _the_ _class that was followed by the sound of hurried foot steps. Jungwoo felt heat painfully sting his face as he_ _tried_ _to_ _gather_ _himself from the floor in_ _short_ _and embarrassed_ _movements_ _. Mr. Wu had finally made to Jungwoo's side_ _with_ _creased brows as he stared at his student shakingly dust himself off. Jungwoo wanted nothing more than to disappear._

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry I've been slacking off when it comes to posting chapters! Last week I had to get ready for the long trip to go to the BTS concert I was attending and wasn't in the right mind to write. I'll be posting 1 chapter each weekend from now on considering my grades are slipping and I'm trying to focus on school, I hope you guys understand!


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**Notes for the Chapter:**

> okay, ik this is mediocre compared to how long i've had you guys wait and how i just went up and disappeared like that. i wanna first apologize to the people who were waiting for new chapters. I was going through a weird time in my life and my grades weren't looking too good, along side the fact that this story was starting to suffocate me and it was becoming more stressful than fun. But that's the past and this is now, and I'm confident to say that this story will continue it's regular updates, but instead of 2 chapters each Wednesday it will be 1. Thank you for all the support and patience and i want to say sorry i again and i hope you guys can still enjoy this story, love you lots <3

_The rest of the lecture hadn't been quiet eventful, per usual. Mr. Wu hadn't planned to assign them another project, considering they had just finished a really big one last week. So the remaining of the last lecture was spent taking notes on shading techniques and color theory. Not that Jungwoo minded, it gave him more time to space out, he could always steal Doyoung's notes if he really wanted to anyways._

_With such a great opportunity, space out is what Jungwoo did. He spent the rest of the class numbing his mind, thinking about nothing but everything at the same time. Not necessarily in a bad way, more in a 'wow did that actually happen or did I dream it' kinda way. It all still seemed like an illusion. Despite being all playful this morning with his boyfriend, Jungwoo wasn't sure what he felt._

_He was happy, undeniably happy, but behind the joy were these sparks of uncertainty. They had gone so far, it was too late to go back. Not that he had ever thought of it, everything was worrying him at this point. Jungwoo knew they were useless thoughts but thought them nonetheless._

_While Jungwoo was already 30 minutes into his aimless musing, staring at the nothingness of the air, Doyoung had sneaked in a curious glance. The other art student frowned a little, his pencil in between his fingers as Mr. Wu carried on with the lecture at the front of the room. There were other students listening in intently and others spacing out just as much as Jungwoo, maybe even more._

_"Hey," Doyoung whispered, the composition notebook in his lap wobbled as he leaned to his side. There was no response. Doyoung wasn't even sure Jungwoo had heard him, his eyes were dull and feebly dragging across the ceiling now. They traced the designed squares of it. Doyoung cleared his throat and tried again, this time in a lower octave, "Hey, Jungwoo,"_

_"Hmm?" The other art student responded lowly in a daze. Doyoung frowned but didn't comment on the absent mindedness of Jungwoo’s reply and only softly wet his lips. Just as Mr. Wu had began to animatedly speak about color theory Doyoung took a stab at Jungwoo with questions._

_"Did something happen?" Was Doyoung's inquiry. Jungwoo proceeded to acknowledge the concern evident in his friend’s vocals but continued to stare off at the back of heads in front of him. Doyoung then started to been glance from his notes, Mr. Wu and Jungwoo's profile, back and forth as he tried to listen to Mr. Wu and jot down notes at the same time. The sound of pencil led running and making marks on the paper drowned Mr. Wu's voice out for Jungwoo. His mind swam aimlessly again, thinking of how to respond. The art student sighed instead before turning to look at Doyoung who had just turned back to the notebook on his lap._

_"A lot," Jungwoo said, "a lot happened." Doyoung didn't ask anymore questions._

_******_

_**gaylegend: so y'all fucked** _

_**junguwu: I mean,,, not really** _

_**gaylegend: ,,,,,made love?** _

_**junguwu: God idk... love?? Do I love him?? Am I allowed to?** _

_**gaylegend: wdym?** _

_**junguwu: he's a model Ten. He has a reputation. He's Lucas**._

_**junguwu: shit, I've never thought about it like this, omg** _

_**gaylegend: dont be like that Jungwoo** _

_**gaylegend: you're being ridiculous** _

_**gaylegend: it's too late now anyway, you guys are already dating.** _

_**gaylegend: and I think he REALLY REALLY likes you too. Don't do anything stupid. What you guys have is special Jungwoo. Stop letting ridiculous thoughts get in the way of that.** _

_*******_

_Jungwoo found himself letting out a tight sigh as Sicheng's car came to a stop and his eyes roamed the familiar trees decorating the tall apartment building's entrance while the chinese boy’s car window acted as a frame. Sicheng awkwardly peered past his lashes to the boy in the passenger seat, the sun’s rays were behind a collective huddle of grayish clouds in the sky, the dark blue of the canvas behind it making the sun seem even more nonexistent._

_Jungwoo blinked a couple of times before reaching down at his feet for his bag. He took a hold of the straps and turned to Sicheng, giving him the usually tight smiles they shared before he mumbled a small thank you. Sicheng only replied with a small nodded just Jungwoo went for the to open the car door. The college was out of the car in seconds. Sicheng had left him standing a the sidewalk in front of his apartment building before he speed off. Jungwoo didn’t have a chance to wave him goodbye but that was the least of his worries. The college student felt his throat turn into a barren desert and his chest tightened._

_Was he being ridiculous? Getting so insecure all of a sudden? Maybe he was. Maybe Ten was right. Even so, Yukhei was still Lucas. The idea that wedged itself into Jungwoo’s brain now made Yukhei seem unreachable. Jungwoo swallowed dryly but proceeded to walk to the entrance, readying himself to face someone who held a piece of his heart without him knowing. Or maybe he did know, Jungwoo shook his head and sucked in a deep and determined breath. He was done thinking about it._

_Jungwoo took his stiff stride and was only a few feet from the entrance when the door open from the other side. Jungwoo stopped in his step and gave space for whoever was making their way out. He was met with familiar gray strands of hair and frail wrinkled hands at the door’s handle._

_“Oh!” Mrs. Lee blurted out softly in surprise, Jungwoo gave her a warm smile and bowed slightly in a greeting. She responded in a nod. Jungwoo then reached forward and grabbed the other handle of the door, opening it wider for Mrs. Lee to exit without too much effort, she chuckled under her breath in endearment and gave Jungwoo a twinkled glance. Jungwoo noted the gardening shovel in one of hands as well as the apron tightly around her waist, thick and dirted gloves hanging out of one of the pockets. Jungwoo frowned and found himself thinking, Mrs. Lee had been gardening more than usual._

_Jungwoo then let his eyes drag to the crowd of tulips she began to tend to, something about it made his stomach turn uneasily. He hadn’t even noticed this morning when he left for the uni. The tulips that once beautifully sprouted from its neighboring bushes were slowly becoming an ugly and sickly color. Jungwoo suddenly watched Mrs. Lee’s expression. Her eyes were glassy as she held one of the weak tulips in her bare hands. The sun was gone for that day, it had been for a while now, and neither were sure when it’d come back._


	54. @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

_The college student stepped to his apartment. Just like any time he would’ve done in the past. Nothing had changed. Although something seemed to be off this one time. Jungwoo frowned to the quietness of the walls as he slipped off his shoes at the entrance and further stepped into the familiar living room. He looked around, searching through the silence. His legs led him down his very wary hallway, passing the empty kitchen. He reached the end of it to his bedroom before he stuck his head in, his eyes wide to get better glances of his still very stomach turning apartment._

_It was as if Jungwoo had remember all the flaws of his home in that moment, when it was just him there. There was no Yukhei in sight. Not even in the kitchen, he had looked when he passed it on the to his bed room. All that sat in his bedroom was his familiar mattress on the floor and his empty canvas stand. Jungwoo’s eyes lingered on the stand. Why was it empty? It then had come to him._

_**“Hey… Woo?” Yukhei chimed softly, his lips brushing against Jungwoo’s bare neck. The college student’s hair rose to the feeling as something turned in his stomach, something sickly sweet.** _

_**It had been earlier the morning, after Jungwoo’s beating with his boney pillow. The college student had followed suit and pouted like a fool before he demanded the best of cuddles from his big bear like boyfriend. Only then had Jungwoo promised to forgive Yukhei for blowing out his back. And you could imagine how easily Yukhei complied. So there they had been, snuggled up on the least comfortable mattress on the planet, probably, but neither cared.** _

_**“Yeah?” Jungwoo hummed sleepily, his eyes shut as he rubbed the tip of his nose further into the strands belonging to Yukhei’s soft hair. The model being the one curled up in the other’s embrace this time.** _

_**The college student breathed in deeply, Yukhei smelled of fresh coconuts and the warmth that enveloped him at the moment only made Jungwoo’s heart soar lengths. It sent this soothing hot stream through his veins of something to addictively undefinable that he never wanted to leave Yukhei’s warmth. The savored silence between the two was short lived though.** _

_**“I’m serious when I say you’re talented.” Yukhei paused briefly and Jungwoo opened his eyes, “Your art, it’s beautiful.” Yukhei’s usually light weight tone was heavy now with seriousness. Something Jungwoo hadn’t ever heard so clearly. Not in this manner anyway, or setting. The college student found himself halting in the relishing he was doing of Yukhei’s irreplaceable company to the thick string in the other’s words.** _

_**Half chuckling, Jungwoo replied;** _

_**“Suddenly?”** _

_**Neither moved for a few short seconds before Yukhei shifted on Jungwoo’s chest. Although he made it his mission to keep their distance as nonexistent as possible. He very much remained cuddled up against his lover still. The model’s gnawed at his lips as he tried to think of something to say. Something deeded as smart and actually touching and not just some of his lovesick blabber.** _

_**To that, Jungwoo curiously peered down at the top of Yukhei’s head. As if the college student’s heart couldn’t have swelled anymore because of Yukhei presence, it did. The model let out a pouty huff before the next words slipped his lover’s lips.** _

_**“I just… I want people to acknowledge your talent Jungwoo, I want people to see your beauty. The beauty you create, it’s incomparable to anything I’ve ever seen.” Yukhei softly spoke into Jungwoo’s skin, their hearts kept in beat. A warm buzz began to develop between the two.** _

_**The college student felt red travel up his neck and deeply paint his cheeks as he opened and closed his mouth, he was left wordless. He silently hoped that Yukhei hadn’t noticed the stutter of his heart as well as his own speech. It took a moment but Jungwoo managed to respond.** _

_**“You’ve obviously never been to an art gallery,” Jungwoo chuckled nervously and he could already feel Yukhei frowning. The college student had then started a small lovingly nervous rant about his work being mediocre, at best, but Yukhei hadn’t let the poor college student continue for too long. The model had lifted his head and pressed his lover’s lips shut with his own in a sweet and deep kiss but shallow kiss. Yukhei didn’t plan to part ihs lips, but kept them firmly on the other’s. His emotions being conveyed all in one wordless go. Jungwoo hummed before letting his eyes fall shut.** _

_ And that was how Wong Yukhei had shortly convinced Kim Jungwoo having at least an oun ce of confidence in his own work. If no one else liked his work, Yukhei did.. And that didn't feel like it was changing any time soon. It was also then that his lover had asked if he could take possession of hismost recent work. The one still occupying the canvas stand, the one of the playground. Jung woo had given a shrug and let him have it. And now that exact canvas stand was empty. _

_Jungwoo frowned, his throat suddenly became dry and his heart was giving small thuds of anxiety as he tried his best not to get ahead of himself. Where was Yukhei? Why wasn’t he home? Home? Just then, the sound of his phone echoed the walls. Jungwoo almost leaped out of his skin and his heart made it to his throat. The college calmed himself that only took barely 2 rings before he fished out the device from his pocket._

_The sight of the ID made his worry ridden thoughts melt. The digital words displayed on the screen had his heart landing safely at the center of his chest after it’s trip to his throat. With relief evident in the now smoothed out creases of his eyebrows, he swallowed. It was Yukhei. Jungwoo’s frame visibly mellowed out and he swiped the screen to answer the call._

_*******_

_That afternoon, with the sun still being suffocated in gloomy gray clouds, Jungwoo had entered into the convenience store. After greeted Jeno’s cat lounging on the cement sidewalk, curled into herself. Once in the store his eyes landed Taeyong standing behind the counter. No Donghyuck in sight. Something odd settled on the college student’s shoulders seeing the red head instead of the snappy sun kissed teen. Nonetheless, he still greeted Taeyong with a smile and a nod. Taeyong returning the favor._

_As Jungwoo passed by to head to the palm sized changing room, he took note of the bags that had collected underneath Taeyong’s almond eyes and the overall paleness of his face._

_Right at the changing room door, Jungwoo sighed under his breath and tried to not let himself worry or overthink too much. Even though there were even more question driven thoughts racing in his mind regarding Donghyuck’s disappearance and the overall depressive episode that the entire town seemed to be going through in this dark weather._

_There was nothing threatening about the thick gray clouds, the weather forecast had even confirmed it. Jungwoo had made sure to check. It was just something lung strangling and heart aching about the collecting fluffy gray balls. Jungwoo hoped he didn’t have to look outside too much. The sight left him with unpleasant feelings swirling in his chest._

_With that subconscious thought, Jungwoo turned the knob and proceeded to enter the changing room. There were even more things bouncing around in that head of his now as he went into the very mind numbing chore to change into his uniform. This time his thoughts led him to the call he shared with Yukhei almost an hour ago at his lonesome apartment._

_**“Yukhei! Where are you?” Was the first thing Jungwoo uttered, as calmly as he could, once the call had went been connected in both lines. His voice was disguised in edge and Yukhei responded with an apologetic whine.** _

_**“Baby boy, I’m so sorry for leaving so suddenly,” Yukhei sighed, Jungwoo’s wired shoulders loosened at the sound of his sweet lover’s thick voice. The edge he had previously evaporated into air as if it was never there. Jungwoo unconsciously let a small smile perk at his lips, as he could tell just by the childish tone of the other’s voice that he was shamelessly presenting a heart melting pout. A**   **pout that Jungwoo he would’ve immediately kissed away if they hadn’t been on the phone.**_

_**“It’s fine,” Jungwoo chuckled, his voice more tender now and he smiled lovingly through the phone. “What happened though?” Jungwoo asked as he now swayed on his footing as in habit. Yukhei groaned through the line.** _

_**“Taeil said he had to move my schedule,” Yukhei mumbled, there was a brief pause and a distant voice was heard exclaiming the words ‘what?! Stop glaring at me like that!’ The tick of Yukhei’s unapproved tongue followed suit and Jungwoo felt his heart swell and he laughed quietly into his palm.** _

_**Yukhei’s familiar pout was vividly painted and hung in a dozen canvases in Jungwoo’s mind. Now that he thought of it, that wasn’t too much of a bad idea. Buying a dozen canvases to paint just that, Yukhei’s pouting face. Jungwoo’s cheeks turned crimson as he thought of it some more all the while Yukhei and his manager shared short lived bante** **r.** _

_**“Anyways,” Yukhei cut off one of Taeil’s many lame rebuttals and cleared his throat, his manager scoffing in response. “I hope you don’t mind that I took the painting…” His voice was deeper and more thoughtful, as if he had realized something important.** _

_**“My painting!” Jungwoo exclaimed at the word Yukhei mentioned, the word bringing him out of his fantasy of waking and sleeping to Yukhei’s pouting face whether the lovable man was there in person or not. Yukhei was a bit startled at the sudden daze in Jungwoo’s vocals.** _

_**“Y-You said it was mine so…. Sorry if-” Yukhei’s sentence was cut once more.** _

_**“It’s fine!” Jungwoo once more exclaimed, Yukhei stayed quiet for a moment, “It’s your’s, honestly,” Jungwoo wet his lips and Yukhei just stayed, lips zipped, to his boyfriend's soft voice, “It’s your’s,”** _

 

 

 


End file.
